FBI stops a plan to attack the White House with a UFC and arrests five people in connection with a sniper and drone plot

The FBI has apprehended five individuals suspected of conspiring to carry out a sniper and drone assault aimed at a UFC event at the White House.

The FBI has thwarted an alleged plan to target Sunday’s UFC event at the White House, resulting in the arrest of five men in four US states, as reported by the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

Federal prosecutors assert that the group intended to execute a synchronized attack utilizing explosive-laden drones, sniper teams, and a subsequent effort to infiltrate the White House grounds during the prominent event.

Authorities reported that the investigation concluded with a multi-state operation leading to the arrests of Tycen C. Proper, 19, in Ohio; Bryan Omar Roa, 24, and Michael Alan Thomas, 32, in California; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, in Missouri; and Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, in Nebraska.

All five suspects face charges of conspiracy to commit murder.

“Allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold,” FBI Director Kash Patel shared on social media on Tuesday about the operation.

Court documents reveal that the group purportedly planned to deploy drones loaded with explosives to target nearby buildings and incite panic among those present. Prosecutors stated that the ensuing chaos was orchestrated to direct crowds toward locations monitored by sniper teams aiming at what the suspects referred to as “high-value targets.”

Investigators additionally claimed that a “second wave” of assailants was anticipated to breach the White House gate after the initial attack.

The exclusive UFC event on the White House South Lawn drew around 4,300 attendees, with an estimated 85,000 spectators observing from nearby locations throughout the series of fights held on Sunday.

Court filings associated with Alvarez suggest that the group purportedly deliberated on targeting various high-profile individuals, including US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Elon Musk, along with several elected officials. Prosecutors observed that not every individual identified as a potential target was present at the event.

The investigation commenced after Proper’s mother reached out to local authorities on June 10, voicing her concerns regarding her son’s firearms acquisitions and his online interactions with a group that purportedly included former military members and individuals with Christian-based beliefs.

Prosecutors claim that members of the group purportedly aimed to “jumpstart” a revolution by targeting politicians and affluent individuals present at the event. Court documents indicate that they addressed concerns regarding “government corruption, the management of the Epstein files, data centers consuming all the water in communities, and other governmental actions.”

An FBI filing indicated that group members aimed “to protect the United States, which they believed was heading in the wrong direction.”

“Members of the group believed that the United States needed to be dismantled in order to be reconstructed,” the document stated.

During an FBI interview on June 11, Proper reportedly acknowledged taking part in discussions regarding the planned attack. Investigators reported that the group started communicating in March via a TikTok group called “Vanguard of the Old,” which is also mentioned in court documents as “Vanguard of the Old Republic.”

Authorities indicated that recruitment primarily took place via TikTok, after which chosen members transitioned to encrypted conversations on Signal. Prosecutors indicated that the primary group chat comprised around 19 members, with additional smaller groups formed based on members’ roles and locations.

Court documents allege that Thomas proposed a four-tier operational structure, where senior members might engage in illegal activities and subsequently go into hiding, while the lower tiers included supporters, funders, and influencers.

The filings also disclose conversations regarding the assassination of various US lawmakers and notable business executives. Prosecutors indicated that certain politicians were purportedly chosen due to the group’s belief that they had received financial support from pro-Israel lobbying organizations.

Authorities claim that Alvarez took a prominent role in orchestrating the intended attack and was accountable for operations involving drones.

Investigators recovered maps of Washington that highlighted alleged sniper positions, drone launch sites, and potential targets, including power grid infrastructure. Court filings contain images that display tactical equipment, weapons, and operational maps exchanged among members.

“Proper stated that while he was not attending the protest with the intention of shooting anyone, several other members of the group were determined to engage in violence,” the complaint against him noted.

During a separate briefing on Tuesday, Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn characterized the alleged plot as a “serious threat” but refrained from offering additional details due to the ongoing investigation.

“I’ll share a phrase I picked up early in my career at the New York field office: ‘Don’t choke on your own smoke.’”

“To uphold the integrity of the investigation and the security plan, we decided against leaking it,” he added.

During his address at the G7 summit in France on Tuesday, President Trump remarked, “I haven’t heard about it.”

If convicted, each suspect could receive a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 (£186,122) for conspiracy to commit murder. Proper is also facing three additional charges, including conspiracy to commit violence on White House grounds, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

A preliminary hearing is set for June 29.

The UFC event was part of the celebrations commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States and coincided with Trump’s 80th birthday. It occurred against a backdrop of increased worries about political violence, following a shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner two months prior and a different incident last month where Secret Service agents fatally shot a man who fired at a White House security checkpoint.

Experts indicate that political violence continues to be an increasing worry in the US. Erica Frantz, a political science professor at Michigan State University, informed the BBC that such incidents frequently happen in cycles.

“There will always be dissatisfied individuals in society who promote conspiracy theories and extremist perspectives that, when combined, lack coherence,” Frantz stated. “My focus is less on the individual motivations and more on the societal forces that drive people to the fringe.”

According to the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), targeted violence in the US rose by over 30 percent from 2024 to 2025.