3 Injured After Man Sets Off ‘Incendiary Device’ Outside NYC Government Building

NEW YORK CITY — An Army veteran was arrested after setting a fire, igniting fireworks and waving a pellet gun outside of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Manhattan's Civic Center on Monday morning, injuring two people, law enforcement officials said.

The chaotic incident unfolded at 8:20 a.m. at 26 Federal Plaza, according to the New York City Police Department.

FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle Jr. said the suspect — identified as 43-year-old Andrew Arrabaca from Poughkeepsie — lit a bundle of fireworks, shot a pellet gun, and then poured an unidentified liquid onto the ground, sparking a fire.

He was armed with various weapons at the time, including a machete, an axe, a hammer and three knives in his cart, Barnacle said.

One pedestrian was grazed by the fireworks, and two officers were hurt while stopping the suspect, Barnacle said.

"Mr. Arrabaca came armed with bad intentions," Barnacle said. "Mr. Arrabaca was looking to injure people and harm people."

During an interview with investigators, Arrabaca made statements against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Barnacle said. His cart also had a sign that said "ICE off our streets," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

Barnacle said Arrabaca was enlisted in the Army from 2001 to 2005, where he was a mechanic on Patriot missile systems.

Arrabaca's last known address was in Harlem, Tisch said.

"What occurred outside 26 Federal Plaza this morning was deeply disturbing," Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on X, adding that his administration will support the federal investigation. "Our administration will continue to ensure that every New Yorker is safe in their city — and hold accountable any who threaten that."

Federal officers took the suspect into custody at the scene. The FBI said its New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is leading the investigation.

"This morning an individual deployed an incendiary device outside of 26 Federal Plaza. The individual has been taken into custody, and the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the incident," the FBI told Patch.

This is a developing story and will be updated. For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.