LARPer or Threat? Young Man Detained | Chicago News

A 20-year-old LARPer named Alexander Iniguez Mercado is facing serious charges after allegedly deleting Signal from his phone following an FBI call—seen as an attempt to obstruct justice ahead of a Fourth of July threat plot. Prosecutors say he was part of a scheme to use explosive drones to evacuate a White House UFC event, enabling sniper attacks. Seven others are also charged. While his lawyer insists he’s just a gamer, the judge found the defense “interesting” but sided with prosecutors, citing Mercado’s past domestic violence charge and the gravity of the alleged plot—especially as the nation’s anniversary looms. He remains detained. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/34d3c90e174e1d87