Andrew Arrabaca, a 43-year-old U.S. Army veteran, faces an arson charge following an incident outside a federal building in New York City on July 21, 2026. Federal prosecutors allege that Arrabaca set a fire and discharged a pellet gun during the attack, which he had reportedly been planning for several months. He appeared in Manhattan federal court but did not enter a plea.
According to James Barnacle, assistant director of the FBI's New York Field Office, Arrabaca expressed anti-ICE and anti-government sentiments. He was found in possession of multiple weapons, including a pellet gun, knives, a hammer, and a machete. Authorities reported that he ignited a firework and poured a flammable liquid to start a fire outside the building, which houses an immigration court and other agencies.
Arrabaca allegedly fired several pellets from an airsoft rifle toward the building and made statements indicating he was indifferent to harming individuals entering or exiting the premises. He was arrested shortly after the incident and has remained in custody since.
Prosecutors stated that Arrabaca had been planning the attack since January, visiting various locations in New York City to gather supplies. Defense attorneys mentioned that he has mental health issues and requested that he be evaluated at a Department of Veterans Affairs mental health facility. The incident resulted in injuries to two individuals, including an immigrant attending a court hearing.
The federal building has previously been a site of protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).