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The anti-ICE suspect accused of setting off fireworks and igniting a fire outside 26 Federal Plaza on Monday is a former U.S. Army soldier, an FBI official said.
The suspect, identified by FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle as Army veteran Andrew Arrabaca, 43, was taken into custody following the incident outside the Lower Manhattan federal building, which houses agencies including the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
On Tuesday, Arrabaca was charged with arson in Manhattan federal court.
“We take this very seriously,” Barnacle told reporters during a press conference Monday afternoon. “On his cart—he had a cart—he had anti-ICE literature on it. When he was being arrested, he yelled derogatory terms to ICE, used bad words obviously. He is an anti-American, anti-government extremist—we know that from what he said, we know that from he has said post-arrest and we know that from the actions he tried to take today.”
New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said an investigation into the incident, which was first reported to police as an active shooter around 8:30 a.m. Monday, remains ongoing. Subsequent calls reported an explosive and a suspect setting off fireworks, she said.
Arrabaca, of Poughkeepsie, was quickly taken into custody by federal officers, Tisch said. He has yet to be formally charged.
Videos from the scene appeared to show a wagon believed to belong to the suspect bearing the message, “ICE Off Our Streets.”
Three people—two federal employees and a civilian—suffered minor injuries and were treated and released, the FBI said at a press conference Monday afternoon.
“This morning an individual deployed an incendiary device outside of 26 Federal Plaza. The individual has been taken into custody and the FBI New York Office is investigating the incident,” the FBI said in a statement to Newsweek.
Andrew Arrabaca Charged With Arson: What to Know
A day later, Arrabaca appeared in Manhattan federal court, where prosecutors charged him with arson and successfully argued for his detention without bail. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Fry said the 43-year-old had been planning the attack since January, purchasing fireworks, fuel and other supplies while living in his car. She told the court that Arrabaca gave investigators a lengthy confession detailing his actions and motivations, and acknowledged that people could be injured.
Fry said the attack, which left three people with minor injuries, “could have ended much more tragically” at a federal complex that houses hundreds of government employees. Prosecutors described Arrabaca as both a danger to the community and a flight risk, noting that the charge carries a potential mandatory minimum prison sentence of seven years.
Defense attorney Jennifer Brown urged the court to release Arrabaca into a locked Veterans Health Administration psychiatric evaluation program, arguing that he has no criminal history, longstanding ties to New York and a history of steady employment until recently. “There’s an underlying mental health issue going on here,” Brown said, adding that her client intended to damage property rather than harm people.
Prosecutors disputed that characterization, arguing that Arrabaca knowingly accepted the risk that others could be hurt. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky ordered him held without bail pending further proceedings.
Who Is Andrew Arrabaca?
Arrabaca served in the U.S. Army from 2001 to 2004 and left the service as a specialist. He was a mechanic on Patriot missile systems and had no deployments while enlisted. He also served in the Army National Guard in New York from 2004 to 2005, Army officials confirmed to Newsweek in a statement Monday.
“By reports we’re getting, this guy may have been suffering from a mental illness, but we’ll know that as the investigation goes forward,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told Fox News’ Will Cain on Monday. “If this was [someone] suffering from some mental illness, maybe we can get this Army veteran some help.”
Arrabaca currently works as a preservation company program assistant at Hudson River Community Health in New York, according to a LinkedIn profile matching his name. He previously held roles at the U.S. Census Bureau, Stop & Shop and the psychology department at SUNY New Paltz, where he worked as a psychology department research assistant, the profile shows.
Arrabaca also attended SUNY New Paltz and earned a degree in psychology in 2008, according to the profile.
He has previously lobbied state and federal officials to address climate change.
According to a 2013 filing, the federal plaza fire suspect called on Environmental Protection Agency officials to increase efforts to address climate change, including a 40 percent reduction in fuel consumption by 2025. In 2014, Arrabaca also signed a petition calling on New York officials to increase the state’s commitment to reducing climate pollution by 80 percent by 2050.
What To Know About NYC Explosion
The New York City Fire Department said in a statement that it received a call at 8:30 a.m. reporting an outdoor fire at 26 Federal Plaza, between Worth Street and Lafayette Street. Two engine companies and two ladder companies responded to the scene.
The FBI said the suspect poured an unknown liquid onto the ground, placed fireworks on top of it and ignited them, causing a small fire. Authorities said the suspect was armed with a pellet gun at the time of the incident. Barnacle also said Arrabaca had two axes, a hammer, a machete, three knives and fixed-blade knives.
“He poured gasoline onto the ground and ignited it with a lighter and an incendiary device. That device was a firework—a large firework in a canister that proceeded to catch on fire,” Barnacle said. “He then pulled out an airsoft rifle and fired five to seven pellets, if you will, in the direction of 26 Federal Plaza.”
Arrabaca “came armed with bad intentions,” Barnacle said.
Footage from the scene showed a plume of smoke billowing from a fire outside 26 Federal Plaza as officers detained the suspect and escorted them from the area.
“At approximately 8:20 am, an anti-ICE rioter 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, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement shared with Newsweek. “An Federal 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.”
After 1 p.m., a large police and FDNY presence remained around the federal building.
“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,” New York City Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement shared with Newsweek. “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.”
Federal authorities said the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the incident. No serious injuries were immediately reported as officials worked to determine the cause of the explosion.
Democratic Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York said in a statement shared with Newsweek, “I am grateful to law enforcement for their swift actions to stop an attack at 26 Federal Plaza this morning, for successfully apprehending the suspect and for keeping the people of New York City safe. Acts of terror and violence have no place in our City and will never be tolerated. The individual responsible for this must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Political Violence Concerns Grow Nationwide
The incident comes amid heightened concerns about political violence in the United States. Researchers at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue found that extremist plots and attacks rose 27 percent in 2025 compared with the previous year, while the Princeton University-based Bridging Divides Initiative reported that targeted political violence increased by more than 30 percent.
Recent incidents have reflected a range of ideological motives. In Manhattan, Luigi Mangione was charged and is currently facing his state murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024, an attack prosecutors described as politically motivated and that drew support from some activists and online communities hostile to the health insurance industry and corporate power. Separately, federal authorities have reported an increase in threats, vandalism and alleged attacks directed at immigration enforcement agencies and facilities as protests against the Trump administration’s deportation policies have intensified.
What Is an Incendiary Device?
An incendiary device is broadly defined as any device designed to start a fire or produce intense heat through combustion. The term can encompass a wide range of items, from improvised devices made with flammable materials to commercially manufactured incendiaries.
Law enforcement agencies often use the label during the early stages of an investigation when a device appears intended to ignite a fire or create flames, even if authorities have not yet determined its exact composition or motive. In the case of the incident outside 26 Federal Plaza, investigators are working to determine what type of device was involved and how it was constructed.
Brad Lander, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 10th Congressional District, said on X that he was grateful that “no one was seriously injured” in the incident and stressed that there is “absolutely no room for violence” in efforts to oppose ICE. He said the movement to “protect our neighbors” is rooted in a tradition of “nonviolent civil resistance,” which he described as both a moral and strategic choice.
“It’s both why we will win, and how we will win,” Lander said. He also thanked law enforcement for “responding to a very dangerous situation and defusing it.”
What Agencies Are Housed at 26 Federal Plaza?
Located in Lower Manhattan near Foley Square, 26 Federal Plaza is one of New York City’s primary federal office buildings and serves as a hub for numerous government agencies. The 41-story tower houses offices for the FBI, ICE, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as well as other federal departments that handle law enforcement, immigration, and administrative matters.
The building is a frequent destination for visitors seeking immigration services, court-related business, and appointments with federal agencies, drawing thousands of employees and members of the public each week. Because it hosts several high-profile federal offices, 26 Federal Plaza is often the site of demonstrations, security operations and law enforcement activity, making incidents at the complex particularly noteworthy.
Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York said Monday in a statement shared on X, “I applaud local and federal law enforcement and the FDNY for their quick actions in response to the disturbing, violent attack at 26 Federal Plaza this morning. Their prompt actions kept people safe and helped apprehend the suspect. Let me be clear: violence like this is never acceptable. I am closely monitoring the situation, and I thank the NYPD, the FBI, FDNY, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force for their swift response.”
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gray R. Thomas and Sam Wilson.
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