FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X that a potential drone attack on UFC America 250 was “stopped cold.” Some of the alleged suspects traveled to Fredericksburg, Virginia, on June 12 or 13 to make preparations for the attack.
On June 10, the FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington, D.C. It involved individuals outside of the National Capital Region. “Thanks to the rapid action of this FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody, and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold.”
While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team – we are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens – particularly during large gatherings like the historic UFC 250 fight. That’s exactly what we did here. I want to thank our great agents and partners. This work remains ongoing, and we will continue to update the public as permitted.
A senior law enforcement official told NBC News that the plot was “quite serious.”
There was an enormous, visible law-enforcement presence in and around the White House complex over the weekend. Law enforcement officials blocked off roads and used fencing to control crowds. They deployed hundreds of federal, state, and local officers to the crowd of thousands at or near the White House.
Upon investigating a suspect’s iPhone, authorities found at least 23 users of the encrypted chat app Signal involved in discussing parameters of what could have been a devastating terror attack in the heart of the nation’s capital.
A suspect told investigators the goal of the attack was to target “capitalist elites,” “billionaires,” and politicians who received money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), according to the outlet.
The high-profile combat sports extravaganza coincided with President Trump’s 80th birthday and was attended by around 4,300 people, including 1,200 active-duty service members.
