Federal authorities have arrested a former Army serviceman accused of setting off an explosive device outside a New York City federal building Monday morning, an attack the FBI described as targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel and driven by anti-government extremism.
FBI New York Field Office Assistant Director James Barnacle told reporters that Andrew Arrabaca, 43, approached the employee entrance of the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building at 26 Federal Plaza shortly before 9 a.m. EDT. Barnacle said Arrabaca poured gasoline onto the ground and ignited it alongside a firework, producing an explosion. He also fired an airsoft rifle toward the structure.
Three individuals sustained minor injuries in the incident, including two government workers, according to Barnacle. The suspect was taken into custody and interviewed by investigators.
“Mr. Arrabaca came armed with bad intentions,” Barnacle stated. “I will say that 26 Federal Plaza has long been a target of extremists, of terrorists, and today, the extremism was brought here. The building was attacked. Mr. Arrabaca was looking to injure people and harm people.”
Authorities recovered an extensive cache of weapons from the suspect, including two axes, a machete, three knives, a hammer, and six fireworks. Barnacle noted that Arrabaca had a cart containing anti-ICE literature. “When he was being arrested, he yelled derogatory terms to ICE, used bad words, obviously. He is an anti-American, anti-government extremist,” Barnacle added.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the incident on the social platform X, writing: “An individual deployed an incendiary device outside of 26 Federal Plaza in New York. The individual is in custody and two minor injuries reported thus far.” The FBI later updated the injury count to three.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the attack “deeply disturbing” in a post on X, expressing relief that no one was seriously harmed. “My team is in touch with the NYPD and we will support the federal investigation,” Mamdani wrote. “Our administration will continue to ensure that every New Yorker is safe in their city — and hold accountable any who threaten that.”
The attack comes amid heightened tensions around federal facilities. Last month, the FBI investigated gunfire at an ICE building in Phoenix, though no injuries were reported in that incident. The Javits Federal Building has been a symbolic target for extremists in the past, housing multiple federal agencies, including ICE.
Arrabaca, an Army veteran, remains in federal custody. The investigation is ongoing, with charges expected to be filed in the coming days. The incident underscores continued security risks at government installations and the persistence of anti-government sentiment among some former service members.
