In brief
A 43‑year‑old former U.S. Army specialist, Andrew Arrabaca, fired a pellet gun and set off fireworks before pouring an accelerant on the stairs of the federal building at 26 Federal Plaza, sparking a blaze that was quickly extinguished by the fire department. Federal agents tackled him while he was armed with a machete, axes, knives and fireworks, and he was arrested on the scene. Three people sustained minor injuries, including an immigrant awaiting a status hearing and a security officer engaged in the arrest. The incident took place at a site that has become a focal point for protests against immigration policies. The city’s mayor condemned the act and vowed to hold accountable those who threaten public safety.
A former United States Army soldier was arrested after igniting a fire in front of the federal building at 26 Federal Plaza, home to the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Andrew Arrabaca, 43, allegedly fired a pellet gun and set off fireworks before pouring an accelerant on the stairs of the building, causing a blaze that was quickly extinguished by the fire department.
Federal agents tackled Arrabaca, who was reportedly armed with a machete, two axes, three knives and a full barrel of fireworks, according to Washington Assistant Director James Barnacle. Several witnesses say the arsonist expressed anti‑government and anti‑ICE rhetoric during the incident.
Three people were reported with minor injuries, including an immigrant attending a status hearing and a security officer who was hit by the suspect while trying to detain him. Two of the injured were government employees, according to Barnacle, while the Department of Homeland Security said a bystander was grazed.
Arrabaca’s background includes service in the regular Army from 2001‑04 and the Army National Guard‑New York from 2004‑05, retiring at the rank of specialist without overseas deployments.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the incident “deeply disturbing” on X, stating that the city will hold accountable those who threaten safety. The incident comes amid ongoing protests at the location, a long‑time focal point for demonstrations against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
