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As you have probably heard by now, The White House hosted a night of UFC fights on Sunday as part of the celebration of Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
But the event almost ended in tragedy thanks to a terrorist plot involving explosive drones.
According to multiple outlets, a 19-year-old Ohio native named Tycen Proper was among several suspects arrested in connection with an alleged plot to attack UFC Freedom 250.
Federal officials claim the group intended to use drones and sniper teams to target attendees, politicians and other prominent figures.
The FBI says the alleged scheme was disrupted before it could be carried out.
In a twist that may have prevented a tragedy, investigators say Proper’s own mother alerted authorities after becoming concerned about her son’s behavior.
According to an FBI affidavit, Proper’s parents reported that he had recently spent thousands of dollars on tactical gear, firearms accessories, ammunition and other equipment.
His mother also expressed concern that he had become involved with an extremist anti-government group.
Those concerns prompted an investigation that ultimately led federal agents to uncover what they describe as a multi-state conspiracy involving numerous individuals communicating through TikTok and encrypted messaging apps.
According to court documents, members of the group allegedly discussed attacking the UFC event at the White House using drones with explosive devices.
Federal investigators claim the drones would have been used to create panic and force participants to flee in a particular direction.
At the time, additional members of the group reportedly planned to open fire on fleeing crowds and designated “high-value targets.”
Authorities say potential targets included prominent politicians, wealthy attendees and other public figures expected to be at the event.
The UFC event itself drew thousands of attendees and featured President Donald Trump, making the security concerns particularly important.
Proper, a resident of Knox County, Ohio, was arrested June 10 after investigators obtained information from his family and reviewed communications related to the alleged plot.
According to the FBI, Proper told investigators that he became involved with a group that initially communicated through TikTok before moving discussions to the encrypted messaging platform Signal.
Federal agents allege the group shared extremist anti-government beliefs and discussed violent action.
Court documents show that Proper faces conspiracy-related charges along with several additional counts linked to the alleged plot. He remains in federal custody while the case progresses.
While five suspects have already been charged, authorities believe the network may have been considerably larger.
Federal officials have indicated that as many as 23 people may have been connected to the planning effort, and investigators continue to examine communications and evidence recovered during the operation.
So far, officials are crediting a combination of family intervention and swift law enforcement for stopping what they describe as a potentially devastating attack before it could be carried out.
