Army Veteran Arrested After Setting Fire Outside NYC’s 26 Federal Plaza

A 43-year-old Army veteran was taken into custody Monday morning after deploying an incendiary device outside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan, a building that houses ICE, the FBI’s New York field office, immigration courts and several other federal agencies.

The incident unfolded around 8:30 a.m., when police say the suspect, identified as Andrew Arrabaca of Poughkeepsie, wheeled a cart to the scene and set off fireworks combined with a flammable liquid, sparking a large fire and sending black smoke billowing across the block in full view of morning commuters in the area. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the incident on social media, writing that an individual had deployed an incendiary device outside the building and that the person had been taken into custody with two minor injuries reported at the time. The New York City Police Department said calls initially came in describing an active shooter situation before subsequent reports clarified that fireworks and an explosive device were involved, a detail that briefly heightened the scale of the emergency response before the full picture became clear.

Arrabaca was quickly tackled and detained by a Federal Protective Service officer, according to the Department of Homeland Security, which described him as an “anti-ICE rioter.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle told reporters that the suspect’s cart contained anti-ICE literature, and that Arrabaca shouted derogatory language toward ICE as he was being arrested. Barnacle characterized him as an anti-American, anti-government extremist based on statements made both during the incident and after his arrest, adding that Arrabaca had indicated he was willing to accept people being hurt, regardless of whether they were federal employees or civilians. Video circulating online showed a wagon believed to belong to the suspect bearing the message “ICE Off Our Streets,” and other footage showed bystanders capturing the moment officers moved in to detain him on the ground as smoke continued to rise nearby.

Three people, two federal employees and one civilian, suffered minor injuries and were treated and released at the scene, according to officials briefing reporters throughout the day. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said investigators were also examining the cart Arrabaca allegedly wheeled to the building, which reportedly contained additional fireworks and an airsoft rifle, items that authorities said were being analyzed as part of the broader investigation into his intentions and planning. The flames spread quickly but were extinguished before reaching the section of the building where immigration processing takes place, a detail officials noted with some relief given how many people typically pass through that part of the facility on a weekday morning.

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Arrabaca, who served in the U.S. Army from 2001 to 2004, has not yet been formally charged as of Monday afternoon, though officials indicated charges were expected to follow once the investigation progressed further. Barnacle noted that 26 Federal Plaza has previously been the target of extremist acts, describing Monday’s incident as another instance of that pattern and suggesting the building’s role housing immigration enforcement offices has made it a recurring flashpoint for protest activity in recent years. The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is leading the ongoing investigation into the incident, working alongside NYPD detectives to piece together a fuller timeline of Arrabaca’s movements in the hours before the attack.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the incident in a statement, calling what occurred outside the building “deeply disturbing” while expressing relief that no one was seriously injured and that a suspect was quickly taken into custody. Mamdani said his administration was in contact with the NYPD and would support the federal investigation, adding that the city would continue working to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers and hold accountable anyone who threatens that safety. His comments were among several from city and federal officials who weighed in throughout the day, each emphasizing both the seriousness of the incident and the relatively limited scope of the injuries reported.

The incident also drew renewed attention to the security posture around 26 Federal Plaza itself, a building that has become an increasingly visible symbol in the broader national debate over immigration enforcement. Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Financial District, the building draws a mix of immigrants attending court proceedings, federal employees, and, increasingly in recent years, demonstrators protesting ICE’s presence and operations. Officials have not said whether Monday’s incident will prompt any changes to security protocols at the site going forward.

Authorities have said there is no ongoing threat to the public following Arrabaca’s arrest, though city officials warned residents to expect road closures and disruptions in the area around Worth Street and Lafayette Street in Manhattan’s Financial District as the investigation continues in the coming days. Commuters in the area were advised to seek alternate routes Monday afternoon as portions of the block remained cordoned off by police tape while forensic teams worked the scene. The incident adds to a string of recent security concerns surrounding federal immigration facilities across the country, as tensions around immigration enforcement policy continue to play out in cities nationwide, with officials in several other jurisdictions reportedly reviewing security measures at similar facilities in the wake of Monday’s events.