Federal authorities stopped a planned attack on a UFC event at the White House by arresting five men accused of conspiring to carry out a mass casualty event. The Department of Justice charged the suspects with planning to use explosive-laden drones and snipers to target government officials and attendees at the "UFC Freedom 250" event held on the South Lawn on Sunday.
The five men arrested across multiple states were identified as Tycen C Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio; Bryan Omar Roa, 24, of Calimesa, California; Michael Alan Thomas, 32, of Pinon Hills, California; Daniel K Eskridge, 32, of Kidder, Missouri; and Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska. The FBI made arrests over the weekend in Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska and California.
According to federal court records and criminal complaints, Proper's mother called police on June 10 to report concerns about her son's behavior, his firearms purchases, and his online communications. Local authorities admitted him to a hospital for homicidal ideation and contacted the FBI.
In interviews with authorities, Proper said he had been in contact with individuals online since March who claimed to be ex-military and Christian-based. He told officials that group members believed the United States was heading in the wrong direction and expressed concerns about people associated with Jeffrey Epstein, a former acquaintance of Donald Trump, potentially running the country.
The criminal complaint alleged that Proper said the group planned to hold a demonstration outside the White House during the UFC event. As that occurred, they would remotely operate drones "laden with unspecified explosives" over the event and detonate them to force the crowd and high-value targets to evacuate. Once people fled, attackers would fire on them with guns. Proper allegedly stated this attack was designed to "jumpstart" a revolution in the United States.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the rapid response by the FBI, partner agencies, and the Department of Justice in the multi-state operation stopped the planned violence. "While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team," Patel said. "We are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens, particularly during large gatherings."
Fox News reported that investigators identified 23 people potentially involved in the broader plot, which allegedly included plans to use drones, snipers, and possibly storming the White House gate. The Secret Service confirmed that agents and technical security teams worked around the clock in the days before the event to identify those responsible.
The investigation began on June 10, four days before the UFC event, when authorities first learned of the threat. The investigation remains ongoing as officials determine whether additional individuals were involved in the planning.