A former Army soldier has been charged with arson in connection with a fiery attack on a federal building in Manhattan that houses immigration court proceedings. Andrew Arrabaca, 43, was charged in Manhattan federal court Tuesday, a day after the incident at 26 Federal Plaza injured three people.
Authorities stated that Arrabaca, clad in a military-style helmet, brought a cart with a sign reading “ICE Off Our Streets” to an employee entrance of the building. He then ignited a large firework, fired several airsoft rifle pellets at the building, and spread gasoline on the sidewalk to ignite a fire. The building is located two blocks from the federal courthouse.
Arrabaca appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky, who informed him of his rights, including the right to an appointed lawyer if he cannot afford one. The building has previously been a site of protests against the Trump administration's immigration policies.
During his arrest, Arrabaca made anti-government and anti-American statements, and told investigators he did not care if people were killed. He also reportedly used profanities while deriding ICE. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the incident, though the attack had not been labeled terrorism by authorities.
Two government employees and a civilian were injured, as was a bystander grazed by fireworks. One individual was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Arrabaca, who served in the Army from 2001 to 2005 as a specialist repairing Patriot missile systems, had no deployments and left the Army as a specialist, including a one-year stint in the Army National Guard-New York. In addition to the pellet gun, officers found two axes, three fixed-blade knives, a hammer, and a machete in his possession. He was subdued and apprehended by Federal Protective Service officers and a security contractor.