A mother’s desperate phone calls to law enforcement in Knox County, Ohio, set in motion a nationwide investigation that federal authorities say prevented a potential attack on the White House during a UFC event earlier this month.
Nineteen-year-old Tycen Proper now faces federal charges including conspiring against the United States, attempted murder of a federal officer, and firearms violations in connection with what prosecutors describe as a plot to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event held at the White House on June 14.
The investigation began four days before the scheduled event when Proper’s mother contacted her cousin, who serves as chief deputy of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Phone recordings obtained through public records reveal the gravity of her concerns and the swift response by local law enforcement.
“They are having some issues with their son, and I think, I don’t think anybody’s in immediate danger, as in this second, but I know she has concerns with weapons and ammo, and particularly a mindset that her oldest boy is in right now,” the deputy chief told dispatch after speaking with his cousin.
The deputy chief immediately requested that a Danville police officer be sent to the residence, explaining that the mother had called him in a panic while he was off duty at home.
Within minutes, a dispatcher issued a radio call directing an officer to the Proper residence, noting the mother’s concerns about her son and mentioning “something about guns and ammo.”
Shortly thereafter, the mother herself called the sheriff’s office dispatch center, stating she wanted to file an official report about her son’s behavior to create a formal record. When asked about the situation, she explained that she and other family members had just removed all firearms and ammunition from her son’s room and taken them off the property entirely.
“He just came inside and he’s probably going to discover it’s not in his room,” she told the dispatcher, according to the recordings.
When asked to clarify the nature of her concerns, the mother revealed troubling information about her son’s intentions. “He’s wanting to leave this weekend and go with a group of people to help, like, fight the corrupt government,” she explained.
The dispatcher’s question about whether Proper might be suicidal was met with a denial, though police records later indicated the young man had a history of suicidal ideations.
By the end of that evening on June 10, law enforcement had transported Proper to Knox Community Hospital for an emergency medical admission. What began as a local welfare check quickly escalated into a federal investigation as authorities pieced together the scope of the alleged conspiracy.
Body camera footage from responding officers, also obtained through records requests, provides additional documentation of the initial law enforcement response.
The case underscores the critical role that family members can play in preventing potential acts of violence. The mother’s decision to contact authorities, despite the personal difficulty of reporting her own son, may have prevented a serious attack on a high-profile event at the nation’s most recognizable residence.
Federal prosecutors are now moving forward with their case against Proper, who faces potentially severe penalties if convicted on the charges against him. The investigation into whether additional suspects were involved in the alleged conspiracy continues.
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