Federal authorities have arrested at least 12 people across four US states in connection with an alleged plot to attack a UFC event held on the White House South Lawn, according to law enforcement officials.
The arrests followed an FBI investigation into what authorities described as a planned drone and sniper attack targeting the UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington, DC. In a statement posted on X, FBI Director Kash Patel said investigators became aware of the threat several days before the event.
“On June 10, FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington DC 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,” Patel wrote.
Among those arrested were Abraham Hermosillo Alvaraz in Nebraska and Daniel Eskridge in Missouri. Authorities have released few details about either man beyond their names and the locations where they were taken into custody.
According to federal affidavits, the suspects initially connected through a TikTok group called “Vanguard of the Old” before moving their communications to the encrypted messaging platform Signal. Investigators say the FBI infiltrated the Signal group, enabling authorities to uncover details of the alleged plot.
The suspects are believed to have subscribed to what officials described as an “accelerationist” ideology, a far-right belief system that advocates the collapse of American capitalism and society.
The New York Post reported that additional arrests may follow and that investigators are preparing further search warrants.
Other suspects named in the investigation include 19-year-old Tycen Proper of Ohio, who was arrested on 10 June after his mother alerted local authorities to concerns about his behaviour.
Michael Alan Thomas and Bryan Oma Roa were arrested in Southern California and have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
Federal investigators allege the group planned to launch explosive-equipped drones over the South Lawn during the UFC event. According to law enforcement sources cited by the New York Post, the explosions were intended to trigger panic among attendees, who would then be targeted by a sniper team positioned nearby.
The group also allegedly discussed plans to breach the White House gates.
Court documents and law enforcement sources indicate that members of the group discussed targeting several Republican politicians, including Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, West Virginia Senators Jim Justice and Shelley Moore Capito, and Representatives Carol Miller and Riley Moore.
One of the central figures in the investigation is Tycen Proper, who investigators say admitted participating in planning discussions. According to a federal affidavit, Proper told investigators on 11 June that he had been involved in organising a “coordinated” attack with other members of the group.
The affidavit states that participants believed the United States was “headed in the wrong direction” and “needed to be torn down so that it could be rebuilt”. Investigators allege that members viewed the planned attack as a way to “jumpstart” a revolution in the United States. The FBI and Department of Justice have not publicly disclosed how many additional individuals may face charges as the investigation continues.