TikTok Influencer Killed in Maracay Livestream Attack

Gabriel Jesús Sarmiento, a Venezuelan TikTok influencer known for exposing criminal gangs and alleged police corruption, was fatally shot during a livestream in his Maracay home. The attack was captured live as two armed men entered and opened fire, injuring both Sarmiento and his mother. Sarmiento had previously warned followers about threats from both gang members and purported police officers, and he regularly denounced the Tren de Aragua gang and alleged law enforcement collaboration with criminals. The Venezuelan prosecutor's office has launched an investigation, with Attorney General Tarek William Saab assigning the 69th Prosecutor’s Office Against Organized Crime to the case. Sarmiento’s killing is part of a broader pattern of deadly attacks on Latin American influencers who expose crime and corruption. Official Venezuelan claims that the Tren de Aragua gang has been dismantled are disputed by ongoing violence and Sarmiento's online evidence.