An Ohio mother notified the FBI of her son’s alleged role in the UFC White House scheme
NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
An alleged plot to attack Sunday night’s UFC event at the White House may have been solved by a concerned mother who noticed her son’s growing obsession with guns, smart devices and secret internet communications.
According to court documents viewed by Fox News Digital, Tycen Proper, a 19-year-old from Ohio who was charged in connection with the alleged conspiracy against the UFC event on the grounds of the White House, came to the attention of investigators after his mother was shocked by his recent behavior and contacted the authorities.
Federal authorities say Proper was part of a group planning the attack on UFC Freedom 250, the June 14 event on the White House South Lawn. Investigators say the alleged plot involved explosive devices, gun emplacements and planned attacks on attendees and other targets.
According to the complaint, one of the biggest warning signs came when Proper’s mother saw him researching areas around Washington, DC, and receiving maps and photos through text messages and Discord.
FBI DISRUPTS SUSPECTED ROBBERY SITE AHEAD OF UFC WHITE HOUSE EVENT, OFFICIALS SAY.
Tycen Proper appears in a photo released by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. (Franklin County Sheriff’s Office)
When confronted, Proper is said to have said that the group was planning to do a “recon” and “hit and run operation.”
He later told investigators that he interpreted that as planning a shooting.
The criminal complaint states that Proper’s mother contacted authorities on June 10, after becoming concerned about her son’s purchase of firearms and contact with people he met online.
When deputies responded to the family’s home in Knox County, Ohio, Proper’s father told officers that his son had recently met people online and was planning to “get back together” with them. He also said that Proper planned to go on the weekend of June 13 to meet the members of this group.
FAMILY TURNS SUSPECT IN CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER, ‘ALMOST UNHEARD OF’: BEHAVIOR EXPERT
Tycen Proper allegedly found an AR-style rifle and a bullpup painted with an American flag, officials said. (Department of Justice)
Proper’s father told investigators that his son recently acquired guns, weapons, ammunition and weapons, which he allegedly used about $3,000 of his graduation money to purchase. Family members later voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement, according to the complaint.
Proper’s mother told investigators that she had recently started contacting an online group whose members said they were militants and described themselves as Christian-based. He said that the team seemed to influence him and he saw him focusing more on training and preparing himself strategically.
After local authorities contacted the FBI, investigators reviewed Proper’s phone and allegedly found Signal conversations discussing plans to attack during the June 14 UFC event at the White House, including the use of explosive-laden drones and snipers near the exits.
Prosecutors also accused Proper of later admitting to participating in the planning negotiations.
President Donald Trump hosted the UFC Freedom 250 fights on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, celebrating his 80th birthday with a series of Ultimate Fighting Championship matches. (Jacquelyn Martin/Getty Images)
Retired FBI agent Jason Pack previously told Fox News Digital that the investigation highlights the importance of family members being aware of behavior and reporting it to authorities.
“That’s how it ended,” said Pack.
The complaint shows that before the investigators disclosed the written communication and the alleged planning of the attack, the first break in the case came from a mother who noticed worrying changes in her son and decided to call him.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
In an interview with Fox News host Will Cain on “The Will Cain Show” on Tuesday, retired FBI agent Rob Chadwick called the mother’s actions brave.
“Thank you for the courage of one mother to come out and say something, even though it meant some imprisonment for her son,” said Chadwick, “but that’s what it will take, this kind of observation or awareness that is happening around you, to understand that we are in an unprecedented time of political violence.”
Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton, David Spunt and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
