Venezuelan influencer shot against gangs during Tikok-Livestream

Venezuelan influencer shot against gangs during Tikok-Livestream

A Venezuelan influencer who had criticized both gangs and presumably corrupt police officers was shot on Tiktok during a live stream on Monday during a live stream. Gabriel Jesús Sarmiento died in the city of Maracay, as the Ministry of Public Security announced Venezuela in an explanation on Instagram.

background to Gabriel Jesús Sarmiento

Sarmiento was known for often denouncing criminal groups and alleged corruption within law enforcement in his online content. The ministry added that his death had reported shortly after "threats to members of the Gedos (Grupo Estructurado de Delincuencia Organizada) and alleged police officers".

The situation in Maracay

Maracay is the capital of the Aragua region, which owes its name to the notorious Gang Tren de Aragua. So far, however, there is no known connection between the death of the Tikotok and this criminal organization.

Investigations into the murder

The Ministry also announced that the 69th public prosecutor's office for organized crimes was commissioned to "examine, identify and take account of the Sarmiento's death.

Details of the livestream

In a recording of Sarmientos Livestream, which was obtained by CNN, a woman can be heard in the background who screams while a man asks why she is screaming. "What happened, what happened?" the man calls, followed by a difficult change of shooting. "You shot me!" Then he screams. The video ends with recordings of two unidentified armed men. Shortly afterwards the livestream stops.

comparison with other cases

The death of Sarmiento occurs just over a month after the murder of another Latin American influencer. The Mexican Beauty-Influencer Valeria Marquez Shot in a salon in Jalisco in May, which triggered outrage over the high female rates in the region. Just a few days before Marquez’s death, a Mayor candidate in the state of Veracruz shot together with three other people during a live stream.

Current developments

cnn tries to contact Sarmiento's family and the Venezuelan General Prosecutor Tarek William Saab to get further information.