Venezuelan influencer who criticized police, gangs murdered

The Venezuelan chief prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday that it was investigating the murder of a TikTok influencer who was fatally shot during a livestream. Attorney General Tarek William Saab said his office would identify and punish those responsible for the recent death of Gabriel Jesús Sarmiento, according to the chief prosecutor’s office. Armed men shot Sarmiento on Sunday night in the city of Maracay in Venezuela’s Aragua state while he hosted a live TikTok video, according to Venezuelan outlet El Nacional.

During his final video, Sarmiento denounced gangs including Tren de Aragua and accused local police officers of corruption and making threats against him, according to El Nacional. He said he hadn’t received any help from the Aragua state prosecutor after filing complaints and suggested a link between the official and Tren de Aragua. The video cut off after screams and shots, the outlet said. The chief prosecutor’s office confirmed that Sarmiento had received threats in its statement.

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