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.”
Crime
16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate found shot to death inside Chipotle bathroom on edge of Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot inside the bathroom of a Chipotle restaurant near Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, police said, as students and staff returned for the first day of the Spring 2026 semester.
The shooting occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. inside the Chipotle located in the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, on the ground floor of The View at Montgomery apartment complex. The building is situated near Temple University’s Student Center and TECH Center.
Police later identified the victim as Khyon Smith-Tate, a North Philadelphia resident. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said Smith-Tate was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.
Temple University President John Fry and Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Jennifer Griffin issued a joint statement following the incident:
“The loss of life to gun violence is a profound tragedy, and there are no words that can make sense of it. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones.”
According to investigators, Smith-Tate and another minor entered the restaurant and requested access to the restroom. Chief Inspector Small said the shooting is believed to have occurred inside the bathroom.
Moments later, employees discovered Smith-Tate suffering from a gunshot wound. Police recovered one spent shell casing from a semiautomatic weapon inside the restroom.
Although the victim’s last known address was approximately eight blocks from the scene, authorities have not indicated what brought him to the location or what led to the shooting.
At the time of the incident, the restaurant was crowded, and multiple individuals inside the business were detained briefly for questioning. However, police said they have not yet obtained any statements from witnesses who reported hearing a gunshot.
A person of interest was taken into custody several blocks from the scene shortly after the shooting, but Chief Inspector Small said that individual’s involvement remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, police confirmed that no arrests have been made and no motive has been established.
Investigators believe Smith-Tate entered the restroom with another minor, though the whereabouts of that individual remain unknown.
Police are also seeking information about three possible suspects, described as teenagers carrying backpacks.
Chief Inspector Small noted that the area is equipped with numerous surveillance cameras, which detectives are reviewing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.