CLEVELAND: A Venezuelan TikTok influencer was shot and killed during a livestream Sunday, prompting a national investigation, according to the country’s top prosecutor.
Jesús Sarmiento, 25, was reportedly broadcasting live from his home in Maracay, Venezuela, when two armed men broke in and shot him.
Viewers of the livestream heard Sarmiento say, “They shot me, they shot me,” followed by screams in the background, according to People Magazine.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation to identify and prosecute those responsible. In a post on Instagram, Saab wrote that authorities would pursue justice “in defence of life and peace.”
Sarmiento had nearly 80,000 followers on TikTok and frequently used the platform to speak out against alleged corruption and threats from criminal organisations. In recent posts, he accused police and gang members tied to the Tren de Aragua, one of Venezuela’s most notorious criminal groups, of threatening him.
Sarmiento was killed in his home, located in the north-central Venezuelan city of Maracay, by two armed men on Sunday, June 22, according to local news outlets, Ultimas Noticias,El Universal, and La Patilla.
The incident followed Sarmiento’s public allegations that officials were colluding with local criminal groups and engaging in corruption. The 25-year-old said online that he had received threats from gangs, including El Tren de Aragua and El Tren del Llano, according to El Universal.
The US State Department has previously offered a US$5mil (RM21.1mi) reward for information leading to the arrest of Tren de Aragua’s leader.
As of Tuesday, no arrests had been reported in connection with Sarmiento’s death. The investigation remains ongoing. – cleveland.com/Tribune News Service
