A U.S. Army veteran accused of setting a fire outside a federal building in Lower Manhattan that houses an immigration court, FBI offices, and other government agencies now faces an arson charge, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. The attack, which occurred Monday morning at 26 Federal Plaza, left three people injured before the suspect was subdued by law enforcement.
Andrew Arrabaca, 43, appeared in a Manhattan federal court Tuesday but did not enter a plea. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky noted the attack could have ended tragically, describing the charges as troubling. Despite the potential for greater harm, the judge ordered Arrabaca released to a mental health facility for evaluation and treatment, citing his mental health issues.
According to the FBI, Arrabaca harbored anti-ICE and anti-government views. James Barnacle, assistant director in charge of the FBI's New York Field Office, called him an anti-American, anti-government extremist. Voter records show Arrabaca registered as a Democrat and was a member of the left-wing Working Families party.
Authorities said Arrabaca arrived at the federal building around 8:30 a.m. Monday, lit a large firework, and poured a liquid that ignited a fire, producing a plume of smoke and bright orange flames near an entrance. He also fired five to seven pellets from an airsoft rifle toward the building. During the incident, he made anti-government and anti-ICE statements, telling law enforcement he was okay if he hurt or killed people entering or leaving the building, whether federal employees or civilians.
Upon arrest, officers found Arrabaca carrying a range of weapons, including two axes, a hammer, a machete, three knives, and a pellet gun. Federal prosecutors said he had been planning the attack since January, when he began buying supplies and visiting potential targets around New York City. He allegedly considered attacking several other sites before deciding on the federal building near the courthouse.
On Sunday, Arrabaca traveled to Lower Manhattan with the weapons and materials used in the attack, spending the night in a park. He told law enforcement he chose a specific entrance because it was busy with employees and members of the public heading inside. Prosecutors described his actions as calculated, noting he admitted he was aware people could be hurt and was willing to accept the risk, including the possibility of his own death.
Defense lawyer Jennifer Brown said Arrabaca has mental health issues and requested he be placed in a Department of Veterans Affairs mental health hospital for evaluation and treatment. Prosecutors noted that Arrabaca does not have a stable residence or employment and was living out of a car before the attack. Judge Tarnofsky rejected the defense's proposal for voluntary treatment, stating she was not sufficiently confident Arrabaca would comply.
The federal building in Lower Manhattan has been a site of protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement amid the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration. Among the injured was an immigrant who had arrived at the building for a hearing, the FBI said. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 4. Arrabaca faces a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison if convicted.
