NEW YORK (AP) — A former U.S. Army soldier is now facing an arson charge after prosecutors say he launched a calculated attack on a federal building in Manhattan that serves as a hub for immigration court proceedings.
Andrew Arrabaca, 43, appeared in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday — just one day after the assault on 26 Federal Plaza. Prosecutors say he set a sidewalk ablaze, set off fireworks, and fired a pellet gun before security officers were able to take him down. Three people were hurt in the attack. The building sits two blocks from the courthouse.
Arrabaca, a U.S. citizen, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky, who held a bail hearing immediately following the court appearance.
Prosecutor Samantha Fry argued that Arrabaca should remain behind bars, calling him both a danger to the public and a flight risk. She told the court that Arrabaca had been living out of his car and had been planning the attack since January, gathering supplies in upstate New York that included two hatchets, a mallet, a hammer, and fireworks.
While acknowledging that the number of injuries was limited, Fry warned that “this attack could have ended much more tragically” given that hundreds of federal employees work in the building. She said the evidence against him was overwhelming on a charge that carries a potential mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison.
Defense attorney Jennifer Brown argued for Arrabaca’s release into a Veterans Health Administration locked-ward psychiatric evaluation program. She pointed out that he has no prior criminal record and had been a long-time New York resident with a steady work history until recently.
“There’s an underlying mental health issue going on here,” Brown said.
Brown contended that her client intended to damage property, not harm people. Fry pushed back, saying that during his lengthy confession, Arrabaca explained his actions and motivations and “was aware people could be hurt and was willing to accept this risk.”
The building has become a focal point for protests surrounding President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts.
At a press conference held Monday, officials described how Arrabaca — wearing a military-style helmet — pulled a cart bearing a sign reading “ICE Off Our Streets” to an employee entrance of the building before detonating a large firework. He then fired airsoft rifle pellets at the structure and ignited gasoline he had poured across the sidewalk.
Two Federal Protective Service officers and a security contractor managed to subdue and arrest him, according to James Barnacle, who leads the FBI’s New York field office.
Barnacle said Arrabaca, a former resident of Harlem and Poughkeepsie, made “anti-government and anti-American statements” during his arrest and told investigators he did not care whether he killed anyone.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the incident, though Barnacle stopped short of labeling it an act of terrorism.
Among those injured were two government employees and a civilian who had come to the building for immigration court. A bystander was also grazed by fireworks. Only one person required hospital treatment, and that individual’s injuries were not life-threatening.
Barnacle noted that Arrabaca served in the Army from 2001 to 2005, where he worked repairing Patriot missile systems. During his arrest, he reportedly hurled profanity-laced insults at ICE. Beyond the pellet gun, authorities say he was carrying two axes, three fixed-blade knives, a hammer, and a machete. An Army spokesperson confirmed Arrabaca was never deployed overseas and left the service as a specialist, including a one-year period with the Army National Guard in New York.
