Crime
Tyler Maxon Avalos arrested for posting TikTok video offering $45,000 reward for the death of AG Pam Bondi
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal authorities have arrested a 29-year-old man accused of using TikTok to solicit violence against former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, offering a cash reward for her death.
The suspect, identified as Tyler Maxon Avalos, was taken into custody on October 16 following an FBI investigation into an alleged murder-for-hire plot circulated on social media.
According to court documents, agents were tipped off earlier this month after Avalos allegedly posted a TikTok video featuring an image of Attorney General Bondi with a red sniper-scope dot positioned on her forehead.
The video’s caption reportedly read:
“WANTED: Pam Bondi”
“REWARD: $45,000”
“DEAD OR ALIVE”
“(PREFERABLY DEAD)”
Beneath the image, Avalos allegedly added a cryptic message: “Cough cough. When they don’t serve us, then what?”
Authorities say Avalos, who used the online alias “Wacko”, maintained an account laced with anarchist symbols and anti-government rhetoric.
His TikTok bio reportedly linked to a digital copy of “An Anarchist FAQ”, a document frequently cited in online extremist circles.
Federal investigators noted that Avalos has a significant criminal history, spanning several states.
His prior convictions include:
- Felony stalking (Dakota County, Minnesota – July 2022)
- Felony third-degree domestic battery (Polk County, Florida – July 2022)
- Misdemeanor domestic assault (Dakota County, Minnesota – April 2016), a charge reportedly reduced from felony domestic assault by strangulation.
The FBI confirmed that Avalos was apprehended without incident and is being held pending further federal charges.
Court filings allege that Avalos’s actions constituted a credible threat of violence and were part of a deliberate attempt to incite harm against a public official.
Investigators are currently reviewing his online activity to determine whether others were involved or aware of the plot.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that Avalos could face federal charges related to threats against public officials, solicitation to commit murder, and interstate transmission of threatening communications.
Officials emphasized that the swift intervention of a concerned citizen helped prevent potential violence.
“Public safety depends on vigilance,” an FBI spokesperson said. “We urge anyone who encounters threats of this nature online to report them immediately.”
Orlando, Fla. — Family and friends of 33-year-old Julien Emmanuel Cruz are seeking answers and accountability following his fatal shooting outside a popular LGBTQ+ nightclub early Sunday morning.
According to the Orlando Police Department, officers responded at approximately 2:31 a.m. on February 22, 2026, to the 1900 block of North Orange Avenue, just north of Lake Ivanhoe, in reference to a reported shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located Cruz suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Authorities confirmed Cruz was born May 18, 1992.
Detectives determined that prior to the shooting, Cruz and the suspect were involved in a verbal and physical altercation on the sidewalk outside the nightclub district. Investigators say that during the dispute, the suspect retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and shot Cruz.
The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, which patrol officers later located in the 200 block of East New Hampshire Avenue, approximately two blocks from where the shooting occurred.
Police subsequently arrested 37-year-old Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr (DOB: October 29, 1988). He has been charged with Second Degree Murder with a Firearm. Authorities confirmed this case marks the third homicide in Orlando in 2026.
Cruz’s father, Anthony Cruz, said his son and his partner had been at Savoy Orlando enjoying the evening before the violence unfolded.
According to the family, as the couple exited the club after closing time, a vehicle sped past them. Cruz’s partner allegedly yelled toward the occupants of the vehicle, prompting the car to stop. A physical altercation then reportedly began between Cruz’s partner and one of the individuals from the vehicle.
“When they fought, my son saw that was happening. My son went to intervene, and when he intervened, another guy got out of the car, and he got shot,” Anthony Cruz said. “My son didn’t deserve what happened. All I have left is a shirt — a shirt with a bullet hole.”
While police have charged Borja Gil De La Madr, Cruz’s family maintains that another individual may have been directly responsible for pulling the trigger. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether additional suspects are being sought.
A small memorial has formed across from the nightclub, where members of the community have gathered to honor Cruz’s memory.
Joshua Cooper, owner of Savoy Orlando, said the tragedy has deeply impacted the LGBTQ+ community, even though the shooting occurred off the club’s property.
“I didn’t know the victim, but from everything I’ve been told, I wish I had,” Cooper said. “He seemed like a great kid. Seeing a family that is so heartbroken and so supportive of this community says so much.”
The Orlando Police Department has not released additional information regarding potential additional suspects. Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the altercation and shooting.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Orlando Police Department or Crimeline.
The investigation remains active.