A 23-year-old Mexican TikToker was gunned down during a live broadcast from her beauty salon on Tuesday. The horrifying act of violence unfolded at Blossom the Beauty Lounge in Jalisco, where beauty influencer Valeria Marquez worked.
The TikTok star and aesthetician was killed after an assailant on a motorbike opened fire on her. The chilling footage has been circulating on social media, showing Marquez in good spirits before her life is cut short by multiple gunshots.
In a disturbing video, Marquez, who has more than 110,000 followers, appears cheerful as she sits in the salon smiling while looking around. She looks out the salon window, and seconds later, she jolts repeatedly as gunshots pierce her body.
She suddenly presses a hand to the wound near her ribcage as the first bullet strikes her chest. Two more shots follow to her head, and she drops her head. Shortly after the end of the shot, an unidentified woman steps into view and ends the stream.
The Daily Mail cited preliminary reports that said a gunman entered the salon and fired several rounds at Marquez before escaping on his motorbike. When paramedics arrived on the scene, Marquez was pronounced dead.
Police are probing the gruesome murder and have launched a manhunt for the suspect. A spokesperson for the local prosecutor’s office confirmed the basic details of the incident, stating that an armed man went to the establishment and shot her multiple times. According to the Daily Mail, Infobae reported that an autopsy is scheduled and will be conducted soon.
Marquez’s killing also highlights a broader crisis facing Mexico. Violence against women, driven in part by deep-rooted “machismo”, remains a severe problem, per the report. From verbal harassment to acid attacks and brutal murders, women across the country live with the constant threat of gender-based violence.
Additionally, murders on TikTok live streams seem to be becoming a terrifying trend. In Jamaica, multiple TikTokers have been slain during live broadcasts, sparking concern in the country.
