(The Center Square) – A rural Central Ohio mother apparently reported her son’s actions to local police, leading to the arrest of a 19-year-old man in connection with what federal authorities are calling a terror plot to create chaos at Sunday’s UFC fight on the White House lawn, according to multiple media reports.
Tycen Proper was arrested Wednesday after his mom called the Danville Police Department and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, raising concerns about her son’s “recent conduct, including firearms purchases and communicating with certain individuals online,” a federal affidavit said.
Proper is charged with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States; attempted murder of any 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.
He is being held in the Franklin County jail.
According to the law enforcement affidavit, Danville Police and sheriff deputies responded to a disturbance call at a Knox County address around 9:38 p.m. on Wednesday, when Proper’s parents said he had recently met people only and planned “recons” with them over the weekend.
The parents also said Proper used $3,000 of his graduation money to recently buy camping gear, food, ballistic plates, a new shotgun, a rifle, “lots" of ammunition, extra magazines and a plate camera.
According to the government’s affidavit, Proper’s mother said her son had recently started interacting with a group of ex-military and Christian-based people, who only expressed ultra-religious anti-government sentiments – specifically talking about government corruption, handling of the Epstein files, and data centers taking up all the water in communities.
Law enforcement officials said in their affidavit that Proper told them the group planned to stage a demonstration on the north side of the White House and then fly drones with explosive devices to detonate over the north side of the UFC arena.
Proper told law enforcement the plan was to force the crowd and high-value targets to evacuate south, and members of his group would act as snipers and begin shooting people as they evacuated the area.
Knox County deputies took Proper to a local hospital for an emergency admission based on homicidal ideations, and FBI agents arrested Proper in Knox County.
FBI Director Kash Patel said federal officials first learned of the plan last week on Wednesday. The plot involved using drones with attached explosives to hit buildings near the event, prompting a mass evacuation and steering crowds toward a group of snipers.
Investigators uncovered a Signal chat with at least 23 users discussing plans for the alleged attack. Individuals from multiple states participated in planning the event, FBI officials said.
Patel said "multiple individuals" were in custody in relation to the foiled attack. Investigators told Fox News five individuals were in custody as of Monday.
One suspect was taken into custody in Cincinnati, federal officials said. The White House UFC event was set to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. The event occurred on Flag Day as well as President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
"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," Patel said on social media.
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