Eight individuals face federal terrorism charges for an alleged plot to carry out a sniper attack targeting government officials and high-profile figures, including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Elon Musk, during the UFC Freedom 250 event held at the White House.
Federal prosecutors announced the charges Thursday in Ohio, detailing a two-count indictment that includes conspiracies to provide material support to terrorists, commit murder on federal territory, and murder federal government officials. The Justice Department stated that the suspects amassed money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical supplies, and communications equipment, coordinating their activities online through encrypted platforms like Signal and Discord, as well as a TikTok group called "Vanguard of the Old."
The investigation began on June 10, four days before the June 15 event, when law enforcement was alerted to the potential threat. Seven suspects were arrested shortly thereafter across the country. The eighth suspect, allegedly designated as a sniper for the attack, was apprehended this week in West Virginia.
The indictment originated from an initial investigation and criminal complaint filed against Tycen C. Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio. The other defendants are identified as Michael Alan Thomas, 32; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32; Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31; Jordan W. Rincker, 28; Bryan Omar Roa, 25; William Lee Spartacus Falkner, 21; and Chandler D. Scaggs, 21.
According to authorities, the group harbored fringe anti-government conspiracy theories and expressed a desire to "tear down" the United States for eventual rebuilding. Prosecutors noted that even after Proper's arrest, Scaggs reportedly remained committed to participating in the attack and made new arrangements for transportation to Washington, D.C.