Ohio Teen’s Family Tip Unravels Plot to Attack White House UFC Event
A teenager’s family called police after noticing alarming behavior — sparking a federal investigation that prosecutors say stopped a planned drone and sniper attack at the White House UFC event.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — A 19-year-old Ohio man and a Nebraska man described by federal prosecutors as the plot’s “key ringleader” are among at least five people arrested in connection with an alleged conspiracy to carry out a shooting and explosive drone attack at last Sunday’s UFC fight on the White House South Lawn.
The planned attack reportedly targeted President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Elon Musk, according to federal charging documents. Netanyahu did not attend the fight.
How the Plot Unraveled
The investigation began when the family of Tycen Proper, a 19-year-old Ohio resident, grew alarmed by his accumulation of firearms and his extensive communications with an online group. After Proper told his family he planned to meet up with the group last weekend, they contacted police.
A search warrant was executed at Proper’s home and on his electronic devices on June 11, the same day the Ultimate Fighting Championship ring was being set up on the White House South Lawn, according to the criminal complaint. Investigators discovered that Proper had been communicating with a group on TikTok called “Vanguard of the Old,” and that conversations had later migrated to Signal, an encrypted messaging application, where more detailed planning took place.
Nebraska Man Charged as Alleged Ringleader
Federal prosecutors charged Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, an Omaha, Nebraska resident, via criminal complaint in federal court with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Alvarez appeared for an initial hearing on Tuesday.
Investigators allege that Alvarez operated under the online handle “Shepherd” on both TikTok and Signal, and was identified as the “primary person” involved in planning the attack. Alvarez is one of at least five individuals arrested in connection with the alleged plot, according to reporting from CBS News.
Alleged Motivations
According to the criminal complaint, the attack was motivated by “ultra-religious and antigovernment sentiments, specifically citing grievances about government corruption, the handling of the Epstein files, data centers taking up all the water in communities, and other government actions.”
The planned method of attack included snipers and drones loaded with explosives, federal prosecutors allege. The UFC fight on the White House South Lawn took place on Sunday, June 15, 2026, according to Nebraska Public Media, which first reported on the Nebraska charges.
