Former Army mechanic arrested after setting fire and discharging pellet gun at Manhattan federal building
A 43-year-old former U.S. Army soldier was detained after igniting a fire and firing a pellet-type airsoft rifle outside the federal building at 26 Federal Plaza in New York City.
Federal authorities said the suspect, identified as 43-year-old Andrew Arrabaca, a former Army mechanic who worked on Patriot missile systems, was apprehended after a fire broke out outside the entrance of the 26 Federal Plaza building in lower Manhattan. Video footage showed a security officer subduing the individual after he allegedly poured a flammable liquid on the stairs, ignited it, and fired five to seven pellets from an airsoft rifle toward the structure. Law-enforcement officials reported that the suspect also carried knives, a hammer, a machete and two pellet-type guns in a bag.
The Department of Homeland Security described the incident as an "anti-ICE rioter" event that occurred at approximately 8:20 a.m., noting that fireworks were also launched and a bystander was lightly grazed. A security officer who tackled the suspect sustained minor injuries, and one civilian was taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on social media that he was relieved no one was seriously hurt and confirmed that the suspect was in custody. The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is leading the investigation, while local officials said they will cooperate with federal authorities.