Earlier this month, the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received a tip: A TikTok user said he wanted Attorney General Pam Bondi “dead or alive” — but “preferably dead.”
The social media post was accompanied by a photo of Bondi with a “sniper scope red dot” on her forehead, according to court documents. The tip was described to the FBI as a “murder-for-hire.” A poster was offering a $45,000 reward.
A week later and with the help of TikTok, Google and Comcast — the parent company of MSNBC — the FBI arrested 29-year-old Tyler Avalos of Minnesota, who allegedly identifies as an “anarchist.” The Justice Department’s Oct. 16 complaint charges Avalos with creating an “online post containing a threat to injure,” a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Avalos was released from federal detention last week on multiple conditions. Among other limits, he must comply with GPS monitoring, obey a curfew, refrain from any alcohol use, cooperate with a mental health assessment and relinquish any firearms. He is also prohibited from possessing or using any computer or other online device without the express permission of federal probation and pretrial services officials.
A man in upstate New York allegedly threatened to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “I cannot allow this terrorist to live,” one message read, according to the criminal complaint. “Even if I am hated I must eliminate him. I will kill him for the future.”
Avalos also has a multistate criminal history, including convictions for stalking, domestic battery and domestic assault between 2016 and 2022.
Nine days after receiving the tip about Avalos’ TikTok about Bondi, the FBI said it received another tip: An upstate New York man had sent text messages allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “I cannot allow this terrorist to live,” one message read, according to the criminal complaint. “Even if I am hated I must eliminate him. I will kill him for the future.”
The next day, Christopher Moynihan was arrested by New York State police and charged with making a terroristic threat, a state crime that carries a penalty of between two to seven years behind bars. The case is being handled by the Dutchess County District Attorney, though it is unclear how and why the FBI tip was transmitted to state authorities.
Moynihan is a convicted Jan. 6 rioter who was sentenced to 21 months in prison. He served 12 months before he was released pending an appeal. He was later pardoned by President Donald Trump, who himself was the target of two assassination attempts, following other threats and attacks on political figures — including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose husband became the unintended victim.
In connection with Moynihan’s recent arrest, a town court issued an order prohibiting Moynihan from owning or possessing any firearms at least through May 2026, and granting law enforcement the right to search him and his home. Nevertheless, he was released from state custody after posting bail last week.