‘They’re Coming,’ last words of influencer Valeria Márquez before being shot during livestream

Mexico: Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old beauty influencer, was tragically shot and killed while livestreaming on TikTok from her salon in Zapopan, Mexico. According to the information, local authorities are treating this incident as a suspected femicide, a gender based killed which reflects the broader crisis of violence against women in Mexico.  

Police officials reported that the influencer was shot by an assassin disguised as a delivery person at a beauty salon in Plaza Santa María, Zapopan. The attacker, who wore a face mask, shot her in the stomach and head multiple times, killing her on the spot.  

The influencer was mid-livestream from her Blossom the Beauty Lounge salon when the incident occurred. The horrifying incident quickly spread online and has since triggered outrage and grief across social media platforms. 

Reportedly, this occurrence follows closely on the heels of another violent events in which a female mayoral candidate in the state of Veracruz was also fatally shot during a livestream, along with three additional individuals.  

Márquez’s final moments before she was shot dead is now going viral on social media with her over 200,000 followers. In her livestream, she said that someone came to the salon when she was not there with an ‘expensive gift’ to deliver her.  

In the footage, the TikToker was seen seated at a table, clutching a stuffed toy and talking to her followers. Seconds before the incident, she was heard saying that they are coming, before a voice in the background asked, “Hey, Vale?” The footage ends when another individual picks up her phone and stop the recording.  

The motive for the fatal attack has not been identified yet but the case is being investigated as a femicide, which is a widespread issue in Mexico. The gender-based violence is reportedly highly common in Mexico where the United Nations reports 10 women or girls being killed every day by partners or even family members. 

Following this tragic incident, police arrived at the scene around 6:30 pm and confirmed the influencer’s death, said the state prosecutor however the prosecutor’s office has not named a suspect as of now. Meanwhile, Mayor of Zapopan Juan José Frangie said that his office received no record of Valeria Márquez requesting help from the authorities because of the threats against her and added that a femicide is the worst thing.