SouthernWorldwide.com – Relatives of two men implicated in a thwarted plot to attack a White House UFC event reportedly observed concerning behavior and warnings prior to authorities intervening.
One mother alerted police days before the planned event about her son’s alarming online communications and his recent acquisition of a significant quantity of weapons. This occurred before law enforcement successfully disrupted the alleged scheme.
Bryan Omar Roa, 24, from Calimesa, California, allegedly informed a family member that he intended to travel to Washington, D.C., where “something big” was slated to occur. He also made statements suggesting he might disappear.
On June 10, just days before the event, this family member discovered Roa had departed. Roa, an amateur mixed martial arts fighter, had left his home. His relatives considered reporting him but did not contact the police before his return.
Concurrently, on the same day Roa disappeared, law enforcement in Ohio responded to the home of Tycen Proper. His mother had expressed concerns regarding his recent firearms purchases and his online interactions.
Authorities made contact with Proper, who was subsequently taken to a local hospital due to homicidal ideations, according to prosecutors.
Multiple family members informed law enforcement that Roa had been planning a trip to Washington, D.C. They suspected he intended to commit an act of violence during this trip.
This suspicion stemmed from his increased engagement in shooting practice and a noticeable shift in his demeanor, characterized by heightened anxiety, irritability, and withdrawal.
Federal investigators also learned from Roa’s family that he had begun associating with a new circle of online friends in the preceding three months.
Other relatives recounted that Roa became “extremely agitated” when his vehicle experienced mechanical issues during the week of June 9. This malfunction ultimately forced him to return home after attempting to drive to the nation’s capital.
Roa’s family had contemplated reporting him to the police after he left but refrained from doing so before his return, investigators stated.
Roa later told law enforcement that his intention was to attend UFC Freedom 250 as a protester. However, his vehicle malfunctioned, compelling his return home.
Federal investigators confirmed that traffic cameras captured Roa’s registered vehicle in Barstow, California, on June 11.
In Ohio, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a residence in Danville on June 10. This was after Tycen Proper’s mother reported her concerns about her son’s recent behavior, including his firearm acquisitions and communications with potentially problematic individuals online.
A family member informed deputies that Proper, 19, had recently connected with strangers online and was planning “recons” with them. The family member indicated that Proper intended to leave the weekend of June 13 to meet these online contacts.
He had recently acquired camping gear, food supplies, ballistic plates, a new shotgun, a rifle, a substantial amount of ammunition, extra magazines, and plate carriers.
Proper allegedly spent approximately $3,000 of his graduation money on this equipment, according to the complaint.
The family member also told authorities that Proper had recently resigned from his job in preparation to meet his online contacts for “missions” and “recons.”
The encounter in Ohio led to the FBI’s involvement the following day, as detailed in the California complaint.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office contacted the FBI on June 11 following their interaction with Proper. Federal investigators interviewed him later that day at a mental health center in Columbus.
Authorities later photographed the equipment acquired by Proper. This included several boxes of ammunition, two plate carriers with AR-style magazines, and rifles adorned with an American flag design.
This equipment was voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement by the family.
Federal complaints allege that Roa, Proper, and three other individuals plotted to utilize drones loaded with explosives near the north side of the White House UFC event. The objective was to incite panic and compel attendees and “high value targets” to evacuate southward.
Once evacuated south, snipers and additional shooters were reportedly positioned to open fire on the fleeing crowd.
Investigators also claimed the group discussed tiered roles for participants. These roles included shooters, drone operators, getaway drivers, logistics support personnel, funders, and social media influencers.
The Justice Department announced on Tuesday that Proper; Roa; Michael Alan Thomas, 32, of Pinon Hills, California; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, of Kidder, Missouri; and Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, had been charged.
These charges are in connection with an alleged plot targeting U.S. officials and others attending the UFC Freedom 250 fight held at the White House the previous Sunday.
The complaint states that the alleged conspirators communicated via encrypted messaging applications. They discussed tactical plans, role assignments, escape routes, and potential targets.
Roa and Thomas were charged in the Central District of California with conspiracy to commit murder. Proper was charged in the Southern District of Ohio with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, attempted murder of a U.S. officer or employee, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and receipt or transfer of a firearm used to commit a felony.
Eskridge was charged in the Western District of Missouri with conspiracy to commit murder. Alvarez was charged in Nebraska with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and conspiracy to murder, according to court documents.
A criminal complaint outlines allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
