Venezuelan Influencer Gunned Down on TikTok Live After Naming Alleged Extortionists, Including Officials

A Venezuelan social media influencer was brutally shot dead during a TikTok livestream in a chilling execution that has sent shockwaves through the country and ignited a national investigation. The killing came moments after the young man had publicly accused top government officials and feared gang leaders of extortion and abuse.

Jesús Sarmiento, a 25-year-old computer programmer with over 87,000 followers on TikTok, was broadcasting live from his home in Venezuela when the attack occurred. As the livestream rolled, viewers watched in horror as Sarmiento, already bleeding, whispered, “They shot me, they shot me,” before two armed men entered the frame and opened fire, reportedly shooting him at least nine more times. His mother, who was also in the house, could be heard screaming and pounding on a door. She survived after being shot in the abdomen.

The video, which has since been taken down from the platform, quickly went viral and drew the attention of Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab, who announced that a formal investigation into the “assassination” is underway. “Our office is tasked with investigating, identifying, and punishing those responsible,” Saab said in a statement.

Accusations Against Powerful Figures

Only hours before his death, Sarmiento had posted a series of videos on TikTok and other social platforms, directly accusing government officials and law enforcement of collusion with violent criminal organizations. He named Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Aragua Governor Johana Sánchez as individuals complicit in enabling gangs such as Tren del Llano and the notoriously violent Tren de Aragua.

“We are overrun with delinquent officials who work with common criminals,” Sarmiento said in one of his final videos. In a desperate bid for safety, he even posted his home address and pleaded for protection from Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Intelligence Service.

Sarmiento also claimed he had recently been kidnapped by the country’s Directorate of Strategic and Tactical Actions. Just weeks earlier, he had spent 15 days in La Morita prison—a Bolivarian Police-run facility—and said threats against his life had continued from inside the jail.

He had also reportedly filed harassment complaints against two former partners and was due in court in Maracay on the day of his death.

Tren de Aragua’s Growing Reach

Among the gangs Sarmiento mentioned was Tren de Aragua, a powerful transnational criminal group that has expanded far beyond Venezuelan borders. The U.S. government recently designated the gang a terrorist organization due to its involvement in murder, drug trafficking, extortion, and human smuggling. Its leader, Héctor Rutherford Guerrero Flores—known as “Niño Guerrero”—escaped custody in 2023 following a military raid on Tocorón prison and remains at large.

Despite public claims from Venezuelan authorities that the group has been dismantled, Tren de Aragua’s influence appears to remain strong. Interior Minister Cabello has downplayed the organization’s existence, calling it “nothing more than an urban legend.” However, officials in the U.S. paint a very different picture.

Since 2022, Tren de Aragua members have reportedly entered the U.S. through the southern border, blending in with migrant caravans. The gang is now believed to have a presence in at least 25 U.S. states. Earlier this year, hundreds of alleged members were deported to El Salvador’s high-security Terrorism Confinement Center following an executive order by then-President Donald Trump under the Alien Enemies Act.

The move drew international criticism, with legal advocates claiming many deportees were removed without proper hearings. Nonetheless, U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, praised the cooperation with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele as a key step in “removing violent criminals” from American communities.

A Pattern of Violence

Sarmiento’s killing comes amid a broader trend of violence targeting influencers and online activists in Latin America. Just last month, a young female content creator in Mexico was shot dead during a livestream in what investigators are treating as a femicide, though no gang involvement has been confirmed.

These killings underscore the growing dangers faced by those who use social media platforms to speak out against corruption, crime, and injustice in regions where impunity often prevails.

A Nation Demands Answers

In Venezuela, where trust in law enforcement is tenuous and gangs often operate with impunity, Sarmiento’s death has intensified public pressure on authorities to take meaningful action. Critics say the killing, carried out so brazenly in front of a live audience, highlights a justice system in crisis and a political structure unwilling—or unable—to protect its citizens from organized crime.

Attorney General Saab has promised a full inquiry, confirming that Sarmiento had previously reported threats from “members of GEDOS and alleged police officers.” But for many Venezuelans, justice for Jesús Sarmiento may already feel like a lost cause.

Meanwhile, the chilling video of his final moments continues to circulate on social media, serving as both a tragic reminder of his warnings and a haunting testament to the very dangers he sought to expose.

As investigators probe deeper into the case, international human rights groups are watching closely—asking whether Venezuela can or will confront the entangled networks of crime, corruption, and state complicity that Sarmiento died trying to reveal.