Federal authorities say they disrupted an alleged attack plot tied to this weekend’s UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington, D.C., preventing what officials described as a coordinated plan involving drones, crowd movement, and multiple stages of escalation.

According to the information, the FBI and its law enforcement partners took action before the alleged plan could unfold.

Officials said five people were in custody as of Monday and investigators had identified 23 individuals as part of what they described as a potential network connected to the alleged operation.

Authorities alleged that the plan involved explosive-laden drones targeting buildings near the event location. Investigators said the objective was to trigger a large-scale evacuation and redirect crowds toward a pre-positioned sniper team.

Officials further stated that a “second wave” was allegedly intended to move toward the White House gate following the initial disruption.

If confirmed, the allegations point to a highly coordinated scenario designed to create confusion and exploit crowd movement during a major public gathering.

Large national events have increasingly become focal points for security planning, and law enforcement agencies continue emphasizing prevention, intelligence-sharing, and rapid coordination to stop threats before they develop into active incidents.

For now, officials are presenting the arrests and investigation as evidence that early detection and interagency cooperation remain central to protecting high-profile public events.

The investigation remains ongoing, but authorities say the alleged plot was interrupted before it could move beyond planning into action.