Army Veteran Arrested for Setting Off Fireworks & Igniting Gasoline on Front Steps of NYC Immigration Court

At 8:20am Andrew Arrabaca, a 43-year-old Army veteran from Poughkeepsie, NY, allegedly poured gasoline on the entrance steps to 26 Federal Plaza in downtown Manhattan where the New York City Immigration Court (non-detained docket) and USCIS Field Office are located, as well as the FBI and a dozen other federal agencies. According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Arrabaca allegedly ignited the “flammable liquid” with “a bundle of fireworks,” creating an incendiary device of sorts that caused heavy smoke and minor injuries to at least three people according to an FBI official. He was immediately tackled by several federal agents while other quickly put out the fire.

The Army Veteran has been taken into custody by the FBI and NYPD. FBI New York Assistant Director James Barnacle said Arrabaca was armed with two axes, a machete, three knives, fireworks and other destructive devices. The Police Commissioner also said that the suspect was carrying two airsoft guns. She also said that he fired several pellets into the air before he started the fire. You can watch the full press conference online here.

Police sources described Arrabaca as “an anti-ICE activist” who has had a previous encounter with federal agents for acting as an emotionally disturbed person but was not arrested. A DHS spokesperson said the man’s bag contained a manifesto.

Andrew John Arrabaca, 43, of Poughkeepsie, New York, served in the U.S. Army from 2001 to 2004 and left the service as a specialist. He had no deployments while enlisted. He also served in the Army National Guard in New York from 2004 to 2005, Army officials confirmed to Newsweek in a statement Monday.

The FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the incident.