In a dramatic turn of events on Monday morning, an armed individual with apparent anti-ICE sentiments was apprehended after allegedly setting off fireworks near a federal building in Lower Manhattan. The incident, which occurred at approximately 8:20 am, has sparked a significant law enforcement response and raised concerns about security in the area.
The suspect, identified as Andrew Arrabaca, 43, was taken into custody shortly after the incident. Authorities reported that two individuals, a federal employee and a civilian, sustained minor injuries and were subsequently treated and released. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is actively investigating the incident, which is being treated as an anti-government attack.
The Incident at 26 Federal Plaza
The Jacob K. Javits Federal Building at 26 Federal Plaza, which houses the FBI’s New York field office, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and a New York immigration court, was the site of the incident. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Arrabaca poured what is believed to be gasoline on the stairs of the building’s entrance and set it on fire using fireworks.
An FPS Protective Security Officer swiftly tackled and detained the agitator, sustaining minor injuries during the incident. Officers quickly recovered the individual’s bag, which contained what appeared to be two pellet guns and a manifesto. The FBI confirmed that Arrabaca was armed with a pellet gun and had an unidentified liquid on him, which he used to start the fire.
The Suspect’s Background and Motives
Andrew Arrabaca, described by the FBI as an anti-government extremist reportedly targeted the building and expressed indifference to potentially harming or killing people entering or exiting the premises. Barnacle identified the suspect as an anti-American, anti-government extremist and claimed the suspect said after his arrest he was “targeting the building and he was OK if he hurt or killed people going in and out of the building, whether they were federal employees or civilians.”
Arrabaca, a former soldier who worked on Patriot missile systems, was found to have anti-ICE literature and reportedly yelled derogatory terms toward ICE as he was being arrested. Police also confirmed he had a cart with a sign saying “ICE Off Our Streets.”
Response from Authorities and Public Figures
New york city Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a statement expressing his concern over the incident. “What occurred outside 26 Federal Plaza this morning was deeply disturbing. I’m relieved no one was seriously injured and that a suspect is in custody. My team is in touch with the NYPD and we will support the federal investigation. Our administration will continue to ensure that every New Yorker is safe in their city — and hold accountable any who threaten that,” he said.
The FBI Director Kash Patel noted in a post on X, “This morning an individual deployed an incendiary device outside of 26 Federal Plaza in New York. The individual is in custody and two minor injuries reported thus far. FBI [Joint Terrorism Task Force] is investigating the incident.”
The DHS released further information on the alleged attack Monday afternoon, stating that the suspect launched fireworks outside of 26 Federal Plaza, grazing a bystander and poured what is believed to be gasoline on the stairs of the entrance of the building and set it on fire. EMS, FBI, and the NYPD are on the scene, and the situation is still developing.
