Ohio mother’s warning led to arrest in alleged White House plot

A worried mother’s call about her 19-year-old son’s guns, ammunition and online behavior helped open a federal investigation that ended with arrests in four states and charges in an alleged plot tied to a White House event. Authorities say Tycen Proper of Danville, Ohio, was later charged in connection with a scheme investigators described as targeting people fleeing the White House South Lawn.

The first warning came on June 10, when Proper’s mother contacted her cousin, the chief deputy of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, according to recordings obtained by ABC News. She then raised concerns with local law enforcement about her son’s firearms purchases, ammunition, ballistic plates, online communications and what officers described as a troubling mindset. Dispatch sent a Danville police officer to the home, and the call set off the response that federal authorities say unraveled the case.

Federal officials said the FBI became aware of a potential threat that same day, four days before the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House South Lawn on June 14. Justice Department officials said five men were charged after arrests in Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska and California. Prosecutors charged Proper with conspiring against the United States, attempted murder of an officer or employee of the United States, and firearms offenses.

Investigators allege the plan involved explosive-laden drones and shooters positioned to attack people fleeing the event. ESPN reported that Proper told federal investigators on June 11 that he intended to “jump-start” a revolution in the United States. Other reporting said investigators also examined alleged targeting of politicians and officials they viewed as supportive of Israeli interests, along with encrypted chats discussing sniper positions and other tactics.

The case has drawn attention because it began with a family member’s alarm and moved quickly from a local welfare concern to a multi-state federal operation. Federal and local officials said Proper was hospitalized with homicidal ideations after his mother contacted police, underscoring how close the case came to escalating before authorities intervened.

Kash Patel, Todd Blanche and federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Ohio announced the charges as the investigation continued. For law enforcement, the sequence has become a clear example of how a relative’s warning can surface threat indicators before an alleged plot advances beyond planning.