A 43-year-old former US Army soldier was taken into custody following an incident at 26 Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan on Monday morning. The suspect, identified as Andrew Arrabaca from Poughkeepsie, New York, allegedly discharged a pellet gun and ignited fireworks outside the building, which houses offices for the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
According to law enforcement, Arrabaca poured an accelerant on the building’s entrance stairs, causing a fire that was subsequently extinguished by the fire department. Federal agents apprehended the suspect, who was carrying multiple weapons including two axes, a machete, three knives, and fireworks. Authorities reported that he fired approximately five to seven pellets from an airsoft gun in the direction of the building.
Three individuals sustained minor injuries during the incident. Two were identified as government employees, while the third was described as an immigrant who was attending a status hearing at the facility. A security officer who helped detain the suspect also received minor injuries after being grazed, according to DHS officials.
FBI New York Assistant Director James Barnacle stated that Arrabaca made several anti-government and anti-ICE statements during the incident, characterizing him as an “anti-American, anti-government extremist.” DHS referred to the suspect as an “anti-ICE rioter.” Military records obtained by CBS indicate that Arrabaca served in the regular Army from 2001 to 2004 and in the Army National Guard-New York from 2004 to 2005, achieving the rank of specialist with no reported deployments.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani characterized the incident as “deeply disturbing” and affirmed the administration’s commitment to public safety and accountability. The lower Manhattan location has been a site of ongoing protests related to federal immigration policies.