Army Veteran Charged After Fire and Pellet Gun Attack Outside NYC Federal Building 

The Monday morning rush in Lower Manhattan took a frightening turn when flames, fireworks and thick smoke erupted outside one of New York City’s busiest federal buildings. 

Federal authorities say Andrew Arrabaca, a 43-year-old former U.S. Army soldier, arrived at 26 Federal Plaza carrying an anti-ICE sign before allegedly setting gasoline on fire and shooting airsoft pellets toward the building. Three people suffered minor injuries, and the suspect was quickly subdued by federal security officers.  

The story moved beyond an arrest on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. Arrabaca was formally charged with arson in Manhattan federal court and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky, who advised him of his rights and his ability to receive a court-appointed attorney.

The charge remains an allegation. Arrabaca has not been convicted. 

Flames Erupt Outside 26 Federal Plaza 

Authorities said Arrabaca approached an employee entrance at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Monday, July 20. He was wearing a military-style helmet and pulling a cart displaying the message, “ICE Off Our Streets.”  

Investigators allege that he ignited a large firework, fired between five and seven pellets from an airsoft rifle, and set gasoline spread across the sidewalk on fire. Videos from the scene showed flames rising beside the building as smoke climbed above the surrounding government complex. 

The blaze did not spread inside the building. Two Federal Protective Service officers and a security contractor moved in and restrained Arrabaca before the situation became more destructive, FBI officials said.  

“The building was attacked,” James Barnacle, the head of the FBI’s New York field office, said while briefing reporters near the scene. 

A Civilian Arriving for Immigration Court Was Injured 

The location made the incident especially troubling for New Yorkers who regularly enter the building for legal appointments, government services and work. 

Among those injured was a civilian who had gone to 26 Federal Plaza for an immigration court hearing. Two government employees were also hurt, and one person was taken to a hospital with injuries described as not life-threatening.

That detail adds a sobering human element to the morning’s chaos. A person arriving to navigate the immigration system instead found themselves caught near a fire and an alleged attack on the same building where their case was scheduled to be heard. 

The Jacob K. Javits Federal Building houses an immigration court and offices connected to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI and other federal agencies. It sits within Lower Manhattan’s heavily traveled civic district, close to City Hall, police headquarters and several courthouses.

Authorities Say More Weapons Were Recovered 

The fire and airsoft rifle were not the only concerns investigators identified. 

Barnacle said authorities recovered two axes, a hammer, a machete and three fixed-blade knives. Arrabaca also allegedly had additional incendiary materials and literature criticizing ICE.

The FBI said he made anti-government and anti-American statements during and after his arrest. Barnacle told reporters that Arrabaca allegedly said he was targeting the building and did not care if federal employees or civilians were harmed. 

Barnacle described him as having arrived “armed with bad intentions.”

Those are the government’s allegations and characterization of the incident. Investigators have not publicly tied Arrabaca to a political party, established activist organization or wider coordinated group. 

That distinction matters because some viral posts have called him an “anti-ICE leftist.” The anti-ICE description is supported by the sign, literature and statements described by authorities. The broader “leftist” label has not been established through a publicly identified affiliation. Authorities Say More Weapons Were Recovered

Arrabaca served in the U.S. Army from 2001 to 2005 and worked as a mechanic on Patriot missile systems. The Army said he had no deployments, left the service as a specialist, and also completed approximately one year with the New York Army National Guard.

His military background does not explain his alleged actions, but it became a prominent part of the story after authorities identified him. Officials have released limited verified information about his life after military service. 

Reports have connected him to previous addresses in Harlem and Poughkeepsie. Authorities said he traveled into Manhattan before the incident and spent the night near Lower Manhattan before approaching the federal building Monday morning.

City Leaders Condemn the Attack 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called what happened outside the building “deeply disturbing.” 

“I’m relieved no one was seriously injured and that a suspect is in custody,” the mayor said, adding that the city would support the federal investigation.

The response from officers prevented an already dangerous scene from becoming worse. A busy federal complex was operating at the start of a weekday, with government employees, immigrants, attorneys and members of the public moving through the area. 

For the people who use 26 Federal Plaza, the incident was more than a dramatic video spreading across social media. It was a fire outside a workplace, courthouse, and public-service building where ordinary New Yorkers had appointments they could not simply ignore. 

What Happens Next 

The most important update is that Arrabaca now faces an arson charge in federal court. Prosecutors may present additional evidence as the investigation continues, but no further charges should be assumed unless they are officially filed.

The court will also address legal representation, detention, and future hearing dates. The government will be required to prove its allegations through the federal judicial process. 

For now, the verified account is serious enough without political exaggeration: authorities say a former soldier brought gasoline, fireworks, weapons and an anti-ICE message to a Manhattan federal building, injured several people and was arrested before the fire spread farther.