Federal prosecutors have indicted eight men on murder and terrorism conspiracy charges in connection with an alleged plot to launch a coordinated drone and sniper attack on a UFC event held at the White House in June.
The indictment, returned in Ohio, alleges the defendants conspired to provide material support to terrorists and to commit murder on federal property and against a federal official. The attack was intended to target Donald Trump's UFC cage-fighting show, known as Freedom 250.
According to court documents, the group began accumulating weapons, explosives, and tactical equipment starting in May. Members assembled firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical supplies, and communications gear as part of their preparation.
One defendant described the planned attack in detail to federal investigators. The group intended to fly explosive-laden drones into the event venue and then open fire on panicked spectators attempting to flee, the affidavit states.
Law enforcement became aware of the threat on June 10, four days before the scheduled event. Five members of the group were arrested that weekend, including Tycen C Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio. The defendants were taken into custody across multiple states including Missouri, Nebraska, California, and Washington.
Two additional arrests followed about a week later. The eighth defendant, Chandler D Scaggs, 21, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, was charged and arrested this week. Scaggs was allegedly assigned to serve as one of the snipers in the attack.
According to the affidavit, Scaggs was supposed to be picked up by Proper and transported to Washington before the event. After Proper's arrest, Scaggs lost contact with the group but allegedly signaled his continued willingness to participate in the attack. He later arranged to travel to the venue with another co-conspirator.
Federal authorities said the defendants harbored fringe conspiracy theories and believed the attack would destabilize the government. The Justice Department previously announced charges against seven members of the group last month.
Author James Rodriguez: "This case shows how serious federal agencies take threats targeting high-profile events, and how months of coordination can still be disrupted by early intelligence."
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