- FBI investigation launched after a Detroit tipster flagged a TikTok post
- Tech companies TikTok, Google, and Comcast assisted agents in tracking suspect
- Affidavit reveals suspect’s criminal history and anarchist leanings
Federal authorities have arrested a Minnesota man accused of offering $45,000 for the killing of Attorney General Pam Bondi, after investigators traced his online activity through several major tech platforms.
According to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Caleb Jurchisin, Tyler Avalos, 29, from St. Paul, allegedly posted the threat on TikTok, writing that he wanted Bondi “dead or alive” but “preferably dead.” The post reportedly included an image of Bondi with a sniper-scope red dot placed on her forehead.
The investigation began on October 9 when a tipster in Detroit alerted the FBI National Threat Operations Center about Avalos’ TikTok activity. The report triggered a federal probe that led agents to identify and locate the suspect.
“Additionally, the suspect user posted a comment below the description that reads ‘cough cough’/‘when you don’t serve us then what?’” Jurchisin wrote in the affidavit.
Investigators said TikTok, Google, and Comcast provided key information that helped trace Avalos’ online accounts. Records showed he registered his TikTok account using a Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
Lawyers representing Avalos did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Court documents reveal Avalos has a criminal history spanning multiple states. His past offenses include a July 2022 stalking conviction in Dakota County, a 2016 domestic battery charge in Polk County, Florida, and a 2019 misdemeanor battery case that was reportedly reduced from a felony domestic assault charge involving strangulation.
The affidavit also described Avalos as identifying with anarchist ideologies. His TikTok username featured an anarchy symbol, and his profile displayed an “Anarchist FAQ book,” suggesting alignment with anti-government beliefs. The document further explains that anarchism “advocates for the replacement of the state with stateless societies and voluntary free associations.”
Authorities have not released details regarding Avalos’ possible charges or court appearance dates.
