US security services have thwarted a large-scale terrorist attack planned for a UFC event held in close proximity to the White House. Authorities have charged eight individuals who intended to use unmanned aerial vehicles and sniper positions to attack the crowd and federal officials.
Details of the Uncovered Plot
The indictment filed in the state of Ohio includes serious charges: conspiracy to murder a federal official, providing material support to terrorists, and preparing an attack on territory under federal jurisdiction. According to the investigation, the group began preparations as early as May. Over several months, the participants accumulated significant resources: firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, as well as medical and communication equipment.
Law enforcement agencies learned of the specific threat to the mixed martial arts show on June 10, just four days before the event began. One of the detained suspects informed investigators about the details of the plan: the group intended to launch drones packed with explosives into the crowd of spectators on the west side. In the moment of panic and chaos, as people fled for their lives, snipers were supposed to open fire on them.
Motivation and Ideology of the Group
According to official data, the conspirators were guided by marginal conspiracy theories. Their main goal was not just to destabilize the situation, but to undermine trust in the US government. The investigation established that the ideological background played a key role in the formation of the group.
Chronology of Arrests and New Suspects
The US Department of Justice announced the detention of seven suspects as early as last month. The defendants were arrested in the states of Ohio, Missouri, Washington, Nebraska, and California. Among them was 19-year-old Tyson Proper from Danville (Ohio), as well as four other participants detained over the weekend before the Freedom 250 event. Two more suspects were arrested by the FBI approximately a week after the operation began.
The eighth defendant, 21-year-old Chandler Skeggs from Chapmanville (West Virginia), was charged this week. He was assigned the role of one of the snipers. According to the investigation, Skeggs was supposed to pick up Proper and transport him to Washington. However, contact between them was severed after Proper's arrest. Despite this, Skeggs continued to prepare for the attack, signaling the group and arranging a trip to the event with another co-conspirator.
Context of Security Threats to the President
This incident became another link in the chain of assassination attempts on Donald Trump. Previously, the FBI reported plans to kill the president on his birthday using drones and snipers. On April 25, during Trump's dinner with journalists, an armed man was detained, and shots were fired.
Furthermore, in February 2026, a court sentenced Ryan Routh to life imprisonment, who in September 2024 attempted to shoot the president on a golf course in Florida. Earlier, there was also an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, where a bullet passed a few centimeters from the politician's head, grazing his ear.
