Law enforcement officials announced that they had disrupted a plot to attack the UFC cage fight that took place at the White House on Sunday, June 14. It was a coordinated plan, according to court documents, that would fly drones loaded with explosives over the event, setting them off. That would then funnel what they considered high-value targets in one direction, where they would be waiting to shoot into the panicked crowd.Affidavits released by the Department of Justice detail text messages between roughly 20 participants in the plot. In those messages, many through the encrypted app “Signal” and others through one called “Simple X” the FBI found maps, names of targets, and communications between people around the country.Two of those men, Bryan Omar Roa and Michael Alan Thomas are from Southern California. In a search warrant of their properties the FBI says they found firearms, including AR-style rifles, ammunition, a pistol, extended magazines, and a hunting rifle. Thomas allegedly admitted to investigators that he was helping to plan the attack and recruit others to help. Roa denied any involvement in the conspiracy but allegedly admitted he planned to drive to Washington, D.C., to protest the “UFC Freedom 250” event.The plot appears to have unraveled with a phone call in Ohio. On June 10, a woman identified only as “D.P.” in court records, called police concerned about her son, Tycen Proper. Proper is 19 and lived at the residence. He had purchased a large number of weapons, ballistic plates, and ammunition, according to court documents. When investigators interviewed him he allegedly admitted to planning a coordinated attack on the UFC event. His mother said that he had been recruited by people expressing ultra-religious and anti-government sentiments. On top of the complaints about the government they were angry about data centers taking all the water from communities. The groups leaned heavily into Proper’s religion. She believed they were using it to manipulate her son.Proper said he and other members of the group began talking with one another on a TikTok group, saying they wanted to protect the United States, which they believed was heading in the wrong direction. According to the complaint filed in Ohio, “members of the group believed that the United States needed to be torn down so that it could be rebuilt.”Some members believed that people involved with Jeffrey Epstein should not govern the country, according to the court documents. His phone had chats with at least 19 others in one application. Other chats had as many as four or five other individuals. A journal found in his room had approximately 46 names, including celebrities and politicians. Names included were Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Jim Justice, Shelley Moore Capito, and U.S. Reps. Carol Miller and Riley Moore.Proper identified both Roa and Thomas as co-conspirators. Investigators filed pictures from his social media accounts showing Roa conducting firearms training in a remote area.A Signal account tied to Thomas contained detailed instructions for carrying out the attack on the UFC event. While the names and some details have been released by the Department of Justice, a search for the court docket for Roa and Thomas remains sealed in the Central District of California court system.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
WASHINGTON —
Law enforcement officials announced that they had disrupted a plot to attack the UFC cage fight that took place at the White House on Sunday, June 14.
It was a coordinated plan, according to court documents, that would fly drones loaded with explosives over the event, setting them off. That would then funnel what they considered high-value targets in one direction, where they would be waiting to shoot into the panicked crowd.
Affidavits released by the Department of Justice detail text messages between roughly 20 participants in the plot.
In those messages, many through the encrypted app “Signal” and others through one called “Simple X” the FBI found maps, names of targets, and communications between people around the country.
Two of those men, Bryan Omar Roa and Michael Alan Thomas are from Southern California.
In a search warrant of their properties the FBI says they found firearms, including AR-style rifles, ammunition, a pistol, extended magazines, and a hunting rifle.
Thomas allegedly admitted to investigators that he was helping to plan the attack and recruit others to help.
Roa denied any involvement in the conspiracy but allegedly admitted he planned to drive to Washington, D.C., to protest the “UFC Freedom 250” event.
The plot appears to have unraveled with a phone call in Ohio.
On June 10, a woman identified only as “D.P.” in court records, called police concerned about her son, Tycen Proper.
Proper is 19 and lived at the residence. He had purchased a large number of weapons, ballistic plates, and ammunition, according to court documents.
When investigators interviewed him he allegedly admitted to planning a coordinated attack on the UFC event.
His mother said that he had been recruited by people expressing ultra-religious and anti-government sentiments. On top of the complaints about the government they were angry about data centers taking all the water from communities.
The groups leaned heavily into Proper’s religion. She believed they were using it to manipulate her son.
Proper said he and other members of the group began talking with one another on a TikTok group, saying they wanted to protect the United States, which they believed was heading in the wrong direction. According to the complaint filed in Ohio, “members of the group believed that the United States needed to be torn down so that it could be rebuilt.”
Some members believed that people involved with Jeffrey Epstein should not govern the country, according to the court documents. His phone had chats with at least 19 others in one application. Other chats had as many as four or five other individuals. A journal found in his room had approximately 46 names, including celebrities and politicians. Names included were Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Jim Justice, Shelley Moore Capito, and U.S. Reps. Carol Miller and Riley Moore.
Proper identified both Roa and Thomas as co-conspirators.
Investigators filed pictures from his social media accounts showing Roa conducting firearms training in a remote area.
A Signal account tied to Thomas contained detailed instructions for carrying out the attack on the UFC event.
While the names and some details have been released by the Department of Justice, a search for the court docket for Roa and Thomas remains sealed in the Central District of California court system.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel