Man Charged After Fire and Fireworks Erupt Outside 26 Federal Plaza

By Felicia Guo

NEW YORK — A man was arrested after allegedly setting a fire, igniting fireworks and firing a pellet gun outside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan on July 20, prompting a major law enforcement response at the federal complex that houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI and other government agencies.

The incident unfolded at approximately 8:30 a.m. outside the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building, sending flames and smoke into the air near one of the building’s entrances. Photos and video from the scene showed FDNY vehicles and numerous law enforcement officers surrounding the area following the incident.

Authorities identified the suspect as 43-year-old Andrew Arrabaca. According to federal prosecutors, Arrabaca allegedly set off several fireworks, fired a BB rifle in the direction of the building and poured a bucket of flammable liquid onto the ground near an entrance before igniting it. The liquid erupted into flames.

Prosecutors said Arrabaca then allegedly retrieved additional fireworks from a utility wagon and threw them into the fire. Law enforcement officers apprehended him as an explosion sounded from the area of the blaze.

An initial 911 call described a possible active shooter, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Other emergency calls subsequently reported an explosion, fireworks and a man setting a fire outside the building.

Federal Protective Service officers, NYPD officers, FBI personnel and other law enforcement agencies responded to the scene. Three people suffered injuries, including two government employees and a civilian who had been at the building for an immigration court hearing. The injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Authorities said a Federal Protective Service officer was injured while helping detain the suspect. At least one other person appeared to have been struck by debris from the fire or explosion, according to federal prosecutors.

Investigators recovered a BB rifle, a pellet rifle, knives, a machete, hatchets, tools and additional fireworks from the suspect’s belongings and utility wagon, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. A sign attached to the wagon displayed an anti-ICE message.

FBI officials said the suspect made anti-government and anti-ICE statements, and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force joined the investigation. Authorities have described his alleged motivation as anti-government, while officials initially stopped short of publicly classifying the incident itself as an act of terrorism.

The incident drew particular attention because of the location. The 41-story federal complex sits near City Hall, One Police Plaza and several federal courthouses and receives hundreds of visitors each day in addition to thousands of federal employees. It has also become a focal point for protests and demonstrations surrounding federal immigration enforcement.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the incident “deeply disturbing” and said he was relieved that no one had been seriously injured.

The following day, federal prosecutors charged Arrabaca with destruction of federal property by means of fire or explosives while causing personal injury or creating a substantial risk of injury. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and a maximum of 40 years if convicted. The allegations remain accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The July 20 incident temporarily turned one of Lower Manhattan’s busiest government districts into an active emergency scene, as firefighters, federal agents and New York City police converged outside the building and investigators worked to determine the circumstances surrounding the fire.