Mexican Beauty Influencer Shot To Death During TikTok Livestream

Valeria Marquez was killed in the beauty salon where she worked in the city of Zapopan.

MEXICO CITY, May 14 (Reuters) - A young Mexican social media influencer, known for her videos about beauty and makeup, was brazenly shot to death during a TikTok livestream, in an incident that sent shockwaves through a country that faces high levels of gender-based violence.

The death of Valeria Marquez, 23, is being investigated according to protocols for femicide - the killing of women or girls for reasons of gender - the Jalisco state prosecutor said in a statement released on Tuesday evening.

Femicide can involve degrading violence, sexual abuse, a relationship with the murderer, or the victim’s body being exposed in a public space, according to Mexican authorities.

Marquez was killed on Tuesday in the beauty salon where she worked in the city of Zapopan by a man who entered and shot her, the statement said. The prosecutor’s office did not name a suspect.

Seconds before the incident, Marquez was seen on her TikTok livestream seated at a table clutching a stuffed toy. She was heard saying, “they’re coming,” before a voice in the background asked “Hey, Vale?”