An Ohio man has been charged in connection with an alleged plot to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House after his mother alerted authorities to concerns about his online activity, firearms purchases, and discussions of potential violence.
Tycen Proper, 19, was arrested June 10 after his mother contacted the Danville Police Department and Knox County Sheriff's Office about what she described as troubling behavior, according to a federal affidavit, The New York Post reported Tuesday.
The arrest came as federal authorities investigated an alleged multistate conspiracy to attack the June 14 UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House South Lawn. According to federal law enforcement sources, the plot allegedly involved at least 12 suspects who subscribed to an "accelerationist" ideology and sought to spark societal collapse through a mass-casualty attack.
Proper's mother told investigators she became concerned after her son began communicating online with individuals who claimed to be former military members and who discussed grievances involving government corruption, the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, data centers, and other issues.
According to the affidavit, she overheard Proper discussing "recon" and "hit and run missions," which she understood to mean shootings. She also told investigators that the online contacts had caused her son to become increasingly focused on religion and that she believed they were using religion to influence him.
Federal investigators said Proper later admitted during a June 11 interview that he had participated in planning a coordinated attack intended to "jumpstart" a revolution in the United States. According to court documents, members of the group believed the country needed to be torn down and rebuilt.
Authorities allege the plot called for explosive drones to be launched at the White House event, causing attendees to flee into areas where additional attackers could target them. Investigators said the FBI infiltrated a Signal chat used by the group and monitored discussions about the planned attack.
Court documents show the suspects also discussed targeting several Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, and Reps. Carol Miller and Riley Moore of West Virginia.
One message allegedly sent by Proper on May 31 included photographs of Justice, Capito, Miller, and Moore along with the statement, "these are the people we're going to focus on," according to investigators.
When authorities searched Proper's residence, they found spent ammunition boxes, cartridge casings, tactical gear, and other equipment, court records state. Family members also reported that Proper had made antisemitic comments online and expressed sympathy for Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
Proper's father told investigators his son spent about $3,000 in graduation money on camping gear, firearms, ammunition, ballistic plates, magazines, and plate carriers.
Federal authorities said some members of the group initially connected through a TikTok community known as "Vanguard of the Old" before moving communications to Signal.
Proper faces charges of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, attempted murder of an officer or employee of the United States, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and receipt or transfer of a firearm used to commit a felony.
Other arrests connected to the investigation have been made in California, Missouri, and Nebraska. Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing and additional arrests are possible.