A plot to launch an attack during the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House was thwarted by FBI officials, resulting in multiple arrests.
FBI Director Kash Patel issued the following statement on Tuesday:
On June 10, FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington, D.C. involving individuals outside of the National Capital Region – and thanks to the rapid action of this FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold. While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team – we are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens – particularly during large gatherings like the historic UFC 250 fight. That’s exactly what we did here. I want to thank our great agents and partners, this work remains ongoing and we will continue to update the public as permitted.
Five people have been arrested, including a 19-year-old named Tycen Proper from Ohio, after his mother alerted authorities to concerns about firearm purchases and his online communications.
According to court papers, the FBI received encrypted text messages involving a group of approximately twenty individuals with descriptions of the area and planning an “escape route” after a plan involving “explosive-laden drones to create a diversionary event and then shoot panicked crowd members as they fled.”
In the affidavit, the motive was attributed to the members of the plot who “wanted to protect the United States, which they believed was headed in the wrong direction. Members of the group believed that the United States needed to be torn down so that it could be rebuilt. Some expressed a desire that people who were involved with Jeffrey Epstein should not govern the country.”
The online messages the FBI obtained revealed potential targets, including various Senators and House Representatives who the plotters believed accepted donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
MS Now reports that members of the Secret Service were “angered” that Patel made the announcement prematurely on Tuesday due to the case still being sealed and suspects that had yet to be arrested when Patel shared the announcement.
Proper is facing attempted murder of an officer or employee of the United States, among other charges.
