Ex‑Army Vet Sets Fire Outside FBI Building in Lower Manhattan

Sun Sep 06 2026 05:12:46 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Former Army soldier Andrew Arrabaca ignites fireworks and a pellet gun outside 26 Federal Plaza, injuring three people before being taken down by federal agents.

Andrew Arrabaca, a 43‑year‑old ex‑Army specialist, set off a fire with fireworks and a pellet gun at the FBI’s offices on 26 Federal Plaza. The FBI says he was armed with axes, a machete, knives and launched several anti‑ICE statements during the incident. Three people were injured, including two government employees, and the blaze was quickly extinguished. The event adds to the growing tension around ICE‑related protests in Lower Manhattan.

Ex‑Army Vet Sets Fire Outside FBI Building in Lower Manhattan

Andrew Arrabaca, 43, a former Army specialist, was arrested after setting a fire outside the FBI, ICE, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices at 26 Federal Plaza.

He allegedly shot a pellet gun and set off fireworks in the morning, then poured an accelerant on their entrance stairs, sparking a blaze that was quickly extinguished by the fire department.

Federal agents intercepted him while he wielded a machete, axes, knives and other weapons. Three people were injured—a government employee, a bystander and a security officer who tackled Arrabaca, sustained minor wounds.

The FBI called him an "anti‑government, anti‑ICE extremist" who made anti‑government statements during the incident. DHS called him an "anti‑ICE rioter," and the lower Manhattan area remains a flashpoint for protests against Trump’s immigration policies.

Arrabaca served in the Army from 2001‑2004 and the Army National Guard from 2004‑2005, leaving at the rank of specialist without deployments. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the incident as "deeply disturbing" and vowed to keep New Yorkers safe.