Security concerns at federal facilities have drawn renewed national attention as agencies confront threats tied to political anger and anti-government extremism. In New York City, federal investigators say that concern turned into violence on July 20, when an Army veteran allegedly set a fire outside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan while carrying axes, knives, a machete and written material described by officials as a manifesto. The building houses federal offices including an immigration court and the FBI’s New York field office.
Federal investigators say the suspect arrived armed and set a fire at 26 Federal Plaza
The FBI said the suspect, identified by officials as 43-year-old Andrew Arrabaca, was taken into custody Monday morning after a fire was set outside the federal building at 26 Federal Plaza. According to remarks by James Barnacle, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office, the man arrived carrying multiple weapons, including two axes, three fixed-blade knives, a hammer and a machete, along with fireworks and what authorities described as anti-ICE material.
Authorities said the incident unfolded at about 8:20 a.m. on July 20. The Department of Homeland Security said the suspect allegedly launched fireworks, poured what investigators believe was gasoline on the stairs near an entrance, and ignited the area. Video reviewed by local outlets showed smoke and flames outside the building before security officers moved in.
Officials said three people were injured. A bystander was grazed by fireworks, and a security officer who tackled the suspect suffered minor injuries, according to DHS and reporting from the Associated Press and CBS New York. Barnacle also said the suspect fired a pellet gun during the episode before being subdued.
The fire and law enforcement response centered on one of the most prominent federal complexes in Lower Manhattan, near City Hall, NYPD headquarters and the Brooklyn Bridge. The 41-story office complex at 26 Federal Plaza houses several federal agencies, and it has also become a regular site of demonstrations tied to immigration enforcement because the building includes an immigration court and ICE-related operations, according to the Associated Press and NBC New York.
What is confirmed is that the suspect was in custody by Monday and that federal, city and homeland security officials were treating the case as a serious attack on a federal facility. What remains unclear is whether prosecutors will describe the incident as terrorism-related in court filings, what exact charges will be filed, and whether investigators have determined a final motive beyond the anti-ICE and anti-government material described publicly by officials.
Authorities have also not released a full inventory of every item recovered at the scene beyond the weapons and devices described at the news conference. Investigators said a manifesto or similar written material was recovered, but officials had not publicly detailed its contents as of Monday night.
Barnacle said the suspect appeared motivated by anti-government and anti-ICE views, and a DHS spokesperson separately described the incident as involving an “anti-ICE rioter.” Reuters reported that authorities said the fire was set at the building that houses ICE offices in Lower Manhattan, underscoring how closely the location is tied to national disputes over immigration enforcement.
That context matters in New York because 26 Federal Plaza has become a visible flashpoint in recent immigration protests. The Associated Press noted that the site has drawn attention because arrests have occurred there as migrants leave hearings, making the building both a working federal hub and a politically charged public space.
For New Yorkers, the immediate effect is likely to be continued visible security around the complex while the investigation moves forward. Officials said the suspect was being interviewed and that additional details, including charges and more information about the recovered writings, were expected as the case proceeds. For now, the confirmed facts are that the fire was quickly contained, the suspect was in custody, and federal authorities are treating the episode as a major security incident in Lower Manhattan.