Pam Bondi Faces Assassination Threat on TikTok; FBI Identifies Man Behind Murder-for-Hire Scheme

US Attorney General Pam Bondi became the target of a chilling murder-for-hire plot that began on TikTok and spread rapidly online. The threat surfaced on 9 October 2025, when a user posted an image of Bondi with a $45,000 (£33,836.40) bounty for her killing. The FBI quickly launched an investigation after a concerned viewer in Detroit reported the post.

According to investigators, the online threat explicitly called for Bondi's death. The post featured her photo with a red sniper dot marked on her forehead. Beneath the image, the caption read: 'WANTED: Pam Bondi — REWARD: $45,000 — DEAD OR ALIVE (Preferably Dead).'

Authorities described it as a 'credible and targeted threat against a federal official'.

The case escalated swiftly as the suspect was traced across multiple states through digital data shared by several major technology firms. The coordinated response led to the identification of a 29-year-old man from Minnesota, ending a week-long manhunt.

Man Puts $45K Bounty To Kill Pam Bondi

Investigators revealed that the TikTok post was created by Tyler Maxon Avalos, who used the account handle @liminalvoidslip. The video contained anti-government language and anarchist symbols. Beneath the threatening caption, Avalos added the comment: 'Cough cough. When they don't serve us, then what?' as detailed in the FBI affidavit by Special Agent Caleb Jurchisin.

Authorities confirmed that the post was reported within hours of publication. The content, tone, and imagery made it a serious case of threat to injure a federal officer, which falls under federal jurisdiction. The motive appeared to stem from anti-state beliefs and hostility toward public officials.

FBI Identified and Arrested the Man

The FBI tracked down Tyler Avalos, who lived in St. Paul, Minnesota, as per Fox News. He was arrested, following a digital trace that linked his devices and internet activity to the threatening TikTok account.

Avalos was charged with making an online threat to injure, a federal offence. He appeared before a federal court, where he waived his right to a preliminary hearing. He was later released under strict supervision, fitted with a GPS ankle monitor, and banned from online platforms.

A spokesperson from Bondi's office declined to issue a comment, citing ongoing security measures and legal restrictions surrounding the case.

Who is Tyler Avalos?

According to NBC News, court records identified Tyler Maxon Avalos as a 29-year-old man with a violent criminal history. In July 2022, he was convicted of felony stalking in Dakota County, Minnesota. Earlier in August 2016, he faced a third-degree felony domestic battery conviction in Florida. A 2016 charge for domestic assault by strangulation was later reduced to a misdemeanour in 2019.

Investigators found that Avalos openly identified as an anarchist. His TikTok profile displayed anarchist imagery and a link to an online book titled 'An Anarchist FAQ'. The FBI affidavit described him as a 'repeat violent offender with politically motivated hostility.'

TikTok, Google, Comcast Helped in Manhunt

The FBI credited TikTok, Google, and Comcast for their assistance in tracing Avalos. TikTok provided account registration details confirming that the post was made using a Samsung Galaxy device. Google later supplied linked login data, connecting the same device to Avalos' personal email address. Comcast contributed IP records that pinpointed the signal to Avalos' apartment in St. Paul.

These digital leads enabled authorities to confirm his identity and execute the arrest within days. Agents found Avalos' name on his mailbox, matching both digital and physical evidence.

Special Agent Caleb Jurchisin stated in his affidavit: 'Additionally, the suspect user posted a comment below the description that reads 'cough cough / when you don't serve us then what?'

The swift cooperation between technology firms and federal agents prevented what officials described as a 'potential act of political violence', ensuring the safety of one of the nation's top legal officials.