Tip-Off from Mother Leads FBI to Uncover Plot
On June 10, a mother in Knox County, Ohio, alerted local police about her 19-year-old son’s alarming behavior and online communications. The tip led to a cross-country FBI investigation that exposed a conspiracy to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House, according to court documents unsealed Tuesday.
Tycen Proper, 19, had amassed firearms and equipment, and his father told deputies he was planning “recons” with online contacts. Proper was involuntarily committed to a mental health facility, but evidence from his phone and other sources revealed a far larger plot, the documents state.
Encrypted Chats Detail Drone and Firearm Assault Plan
Investigators found Signal messages involving 23 individuals discussing detailed maps of the White House area, the need for a safe house, and escape routes. The plan, the FBI affidavit says, was to launch a demonstration in front of the White House while remotely piloted drones packed with explosives struck nearby buildings, forcing VIPs and the crowd to flee — straight into gunfire from attackers who would then try to storm a White House gate.
“According to Proper, this attack was designed to ‘set off’ a revolution in the United States,” the affidavit states.
Five Arrested, at Least 14 Suspected in Multi-State Operation
The FBI coordinated with at least a dozen field offices to take five people into custody in Ohio, California, Missouri, and Nebraska. Tycen Proper faces four federal charges, including attempted murder of a federal official and conspiracy, and is held without bond. At least 14 young adults and possibly others are suspected of planning to travel to D.C. to carry out the attack, authorities said.
The group had formed on TikTok in a chat called “Vanguard of the Old” as early as March 2026, expressing anger over the direction of the country and a desire to prevent associates of Jeffrey Epstein from governing.
FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X: “On June 10, the FBI and our law enforcement partners learned of a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington, D.C. – thanks to the swift action of the FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a cross-country operation, multiple individuals are now in custody, and the planned attacks were nipped in the bud.”
President Trump, attending the G7 summit in France, appeared unaware of the plot, telling reporters: “I haven’t heard about that, no. But the attack I saw were the fighters.” The UFC event had drawn Trump, first lady Melania Trump, UFC CEO Dana White, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and senior cabinet members.
The thwarted plot underscores ongoing concerns about domestic extremism and the use of encrypted platforms for operational planning, with authorities crediting the mother’s tip as crucial. The investigation remains ongoing.
