Federal authorities say they disrupted an alleged attack plot targeting this weekend’s UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington, D.C., preventing what officials described as a coordinated operation involving drones, firearms, crowd manipulation, and a planned escalation toward the White House.
According to officials, the FBI and partner law enforcement agencies moved quickly after receiving information about the alleged threat on June 10.
Authorities said five people were in custody as of Monday and investigators identified 23 individuals connected to what they described as a potential operational network.
According to investigators, Signal chats allegedly revealed discussions involving pre-operational activity and planning.
Officials say the plan called for explosive-laden drones to strike buildings near the event, creating panic and triggering a mass evacuation. Investigators said the objective was to redirect fleeing crowds toward a pre-positioned sniper team.
Authorities further alleged a “second wave” was intended to move toward the White House gate following the initial chaos.
Court documents identified one suspect taken into custody in Cincinnati as 19-year-old Tycen Proper.
According to a criminal complaint, Proper may have used approximately $3,000 in graduation money to acquire ammunition, firearms, additional magazines, and other equipment connected to the alleged plan.
Authorities estimated the recovered ammunition totaled thousands of rounds. Investigators also alleged the suspect obtained an AR-style rifle, a bullpup rifle painted with the American flag, and two plate carriers equipped with magazines.
Officials said the suspect’s family voluntarily turned over the equipment to law enforcement.
Former FBI agent Jason Pack described the allegations as moving beyond online rhetoric into active preparation.
“This was a real threat,” Pack said, characterizing it as organized political violence involving identified targets.
Pack noted that while questions remain over whether every phase could have succeeded, portions of the alleged operation appeared technically feasible and could have resulted in casualties.
He also emphasized the role of human reporting in stopping the alleged network.
According to Pack, the investigation began because a concerned family member contacted authorities.
That detail may ultimately stand out as much as anything else in the case: for all the technology, encrypted chats, and planning, one person choosing to speak up may have changed everything.
Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing, but for now they are presenting the disruption as an example of prevention working before a threat became action.
