A U.S. Army veteran is facing federal charges after allegedly setting a fire and firing an airsoft rifle outside a Manhattan federal building. Andrew Arrabaca, 43, was arrested Monday and charged with arson in connection with the incident outside 26 Federal Plaza, which houses offices for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI, and the city's immigrant court.
Video footage from the scene shows flames and smoke billowing from the entrance of the building. Authorities apprehended Arrabaca shortly after the incident. He appeared in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday and did not enter a plea.
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, described him as an "anti-American, anti-government extremist." During the incident, Arrabaca made statements indicating he was "okay if he hurt or killed people going in and out of the building, whether they were federal employees or civilians," the FBI said.
Authorities reported that Arrabaca arrived at the federal building around 8:30 a.m., lit a firework, and then poured a liquid that ignited a blaze. In addition to the fire, he allegedly fired five to seven pellets from an airsoft rifle toward the building. Upon his arrest, law enforcement found him in possession of multiple weapons, including two axes, a hammer, a machete, and three knives.
Federal prosecutors stated that Arrabaca had been planning the attack since January, gathering supplies and scouting locations in New York. Defense attorneys have indicated that Arrabaca has mental health issues and requested he be evaluated and treated at a Department of Veterans Affairs mental health hospital.
The federal building at 26 Federal Plaza has previously been a site for protests against ICE, particularly amid increased immigration enforcement actions. During Monday's incident, one of the two individuals injured was an immigrant who had appeared at the building for a hearing, according to the FBI.