Influencer Gabriel Jesús Sarmiento Murdered During Live TikTok Broadcast

Venezuelan influencer Gabriel Jesús Sarmiento murdered

Live TikTok broadcast interrupted

He was denouncing gangs and corruption

According to El Heraldo, Venezuelan content creator Gabriel Jesús Sarmiento was murdered on the night of Sunday, June 22, while livestreaming on TikTok.

The influencer was at his home in Maracay, Aragua state, when two armed men violently broke in.

In the video, which quickly went viral, the moment is captured when the attackers enter and one of them fires repeatedly at Sarmiento.

The livestream cut off abruptly after the gunshots, and a woman is heard screaming desperately: “Help, they killed him, they killed him!”

Gabriel Sarmiento Had Already Been Threatened

Influencer Gabriel Jesús Sarmiento Murdered During Live TikTok Broadcast – PHOTO: TikTok @unleacks

Sarmiento was publicly denouncing criminal gangs and officials allegedly involved in corruption.

In his final broadcasts, he harshly criticized groups like El Tren de Aragua and El Tren del Llano.

He also accused public officials of actively collaborating with these criminal organizations.

His content made him a polarizing figure—admired by some and threatened by others.

Venezuelan Influencer Killed During Public Denunciation

Venezuelan influencer Gabriel Sarmiento, who denounced criminal gangs such as El Tren de Aragua, El Tren del Llano, and police officers in Venezuela, was shot while livestreaming on TikTok in Maracay ??. pic.twitter.com/WsTOOLPhmN

— Newsweek Guatemala (@NWGuatemala) June 23, 2025

In one of his last TikToks, he voiced support for the governor of Aragua state, further stirring controversy.

During the livestream in which he was murdered, Sarmiento made a statement that now echoes strongly:
“We are overwhelmed with criminal officials who work with common criminals.”

He added that he was living in hiding while the people he denounced walked freely in the streets.

The brutal nature of his murder has shaken public opinion both inside and outside of Venezuela.

What Is El Tren de Aragua?

Murdered on TikTok PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Experts consider El Tren de Aragua, one of the gangs Sarmiento denounced, the most powerful cartel in Venezuela today.

According to criminologist Luis Izquiel, the organization was formed about 14 years ago during the construction of a railway segment in Aragua state.

Since then, the gang has grown through extortion, control of public works, and ties to drug trafficking.

Authorities captured one of its most notorious leaders, Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero, in Venezuela—but he later escaped, strengthening the gang’s infamous reputation.

Expansion of Venezuelan Criminal Gangs

Since 2018, El Tren de Aragua has reportedly expanded operations to Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Brazil.

In all these countries, authorities have arrested members involved in trafficking, extortion, and exploitation networks.

Sarmiento also denounced El Tren del Llano, another criminal group active in Venezuela’s central plains.

Numerous sources have alleged that both gangs operate with impunity under the suspected protection of corrupt officials.

TikTok Murder Sparks Demand for Immediate Justice

Sarmiento’s denunciations aimed to expose these connections and call for justice in a system he believed to be complicit.

In his own words, he advocated for a “better Aragua for everyone,” free of criminals embedded in institutions.

So far, no arrests have been confirmed in connection with the influencer’s murder, though the case is under investigation.

Human rights organizations and digital activists have condemned the crime and demanded a transparent investigation.