A 29-year-old Minnesota man is in federal custody following accusations that he used social media to solicit the murder of a prominent former government official.
Court documents allege that Tyler Avalos posted a video on TikTok targeting Pam Bondi, the former Attorney General of Florida. The post reportedly superimposed a sniper-scope graphic on an image of Bondi and included text offering a $45,000 reward for her, “dead or alive,” with a stated preference for “dead.” An additional comment on the post was interpreted as a threatening implication.
The investigation began earlier this month after the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received a tip from another user of the platform. Federal agents traced the account, which bore the name “WACKO” and linked to anarchist literature, back to Avalos through data provided by the social media company and internet service providers.
Authorities note that Avalos has a prior criminal record spanning multiple states, including past convictions for felony stalking and domestic battery.
Following his arrest, Avalos was released under a stringent set of pre-trial conditions. These include a travel restriction confining him to Minnesota, a mandate to continue mental health treatment, a prohibition on weapons and alcohol, enforced curfews, GPS monitoring, and severely restricted internet access. His legal counsel has stated that Avalos maintains his innocence and denies any criminal wrongdoing.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the use of social media platforms to disseminate violent threats against public figures. Federal authorities are continuing their investigation.
