Federal Plaza Firebomb Plot Shocks Manhattan

A former Army soldier carrying anti‑ICE signs, gasoline, and pellet guns turned a busy New York federal plaza into a fire scene that officials say could easily have become something far worse.

Story Snapshot

A 43-year-old veteran, Andrew Arrabaca, allegedly set a fire and fired pellets at Manhattan’s 26 Federal Plaza.
Officials call him an anti-government extremist with anti-ICE views and say he was “looking to injure people.”
The attack triggered a terrorism investigation, though only minor injuries were reported.
Data shows a growing pattern of anti-government attacks on U.S. government buildings and law enforcement.

What Officials Say Happened at 26 Federal Plaza

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials say that on Monday morning, 43-year-old former U.S. Army soldier Andrew Arrabaca arrived at 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan with a cart loaded with fireworks and flammable liquid. According to FBI Assistant Director James Barnacle, Arrabaca poured gasoline on a stairwell outside the building, then ignited it using a lighter and a large firework canister, sending flames and thick smoke up the federal complex’s facade as workers and visitors were starting their day.

Officials say Arrabaca did not stop at starting a fire. Barnacle stated that Arrabaca then pulled out an airsoft rifle, described as a pellet gun, and fired five to seven pellets toward the north side of the building. New York City Police Department and Federal Protective Service officers quickly moved in, contained the scene, and took him into custody. Three people, including at least one federal employee, suffered minor injuries and were treated and released, which officials say was fortunate given the weapons and fuel present.

Evidence of Anti-Government and Anti-ICE Motives

At a news conference, Barnacle described Arrabaca as an “anti-American, anti-government extremist” who “came armed with bad intentions” and was “looking to injure people and harm people.” Authorities say he brought two airsoft rifles, two axes, a hammer, a machete, three knives, and several incendiary devices, along with a container of gasoline. The FBI’s New York office later said Arrabaca made several anti-government and anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) statements during the incident, reinforcing their view of his motive.

Officials also point to what Arrabaca carried and displayed as he pushed his cart up to the building. Police and federal sources say the cart held “anti-ICE literature” and a sign that read “ICE Off Our Streets,” signaling anger at federal immigration enforcement. The New York FBI office publicly confirmed that the attack is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, in coordination with federal prosecutors, and has called it an “anti-government attack on a federal facility.” So far, authorities say there is no sign of a broader ongoing threat, but they are still examining his vehicle and devices.

Why This Attack Fits a Larger Domestic Extremism Pattern

FBI officials noted that 26 Federal Plaza, which houses an immigration court, ICE offices, and other federal agencies, has “long been a target of extremists.” Recent research backs up those concerns. A national study of domestic terrorism found that from January 2020 to April 2024, 50 attacks or plots in the United States were aimed at government, military, or law enforcement targets, making these the most common target for domestic terrorists in that period. Many of these cases involved simple tools such as incendiary devices, homemade explosives, and firearms used against government property.

Video shows suspect Andrew Arrabaca allegedly pouring gasoline and setting a fire outside Manhattan's 26 Federal Plaza, home to New York's immigration court and ICE offices.

Arrabaca is now in custody. Sources tell FOX News he had "anti-ICE stuff on him" at the time of the…

— Alhaji Mobola Ajagbe (@alhajimobola2) July 21, 2026

A separate 30-year review of data from 1992 to 2022 identified 460 planned terrorist plots against state targets such as government buildings and law enforcement facilities. Researchers concluded that most of these plots were driven by people labeled “anti-government extremists,” not foreign terrorist groups. In New York City and across the country, police assessments now warn that individuals with strong anti-government views can use low-tech methods—fuel, fireworks, improvised devices—to cause chaos, damage public buildings, or try to draw police into violent clashes.

Growing Public Frustration and Fears About Safety and Power

Events like the Arrabaca case land in a country already tense and divided. Many conservative and liberal Americans, especially older adults, feel the federal government has failed them and that powerful elites in both parties care more about careers and donor money than about basic safety or the American Dream. They see federal buildings like 26 Federal Plaza as symbols of a system they distrust, whether because of immigration enforcement, surveillance, or bureaucratic red tape.

That anger is real across the political spectrum, but officials warn that turning those grievances into violent attacks on public places crosses a dangerous line. When a man with anti-government views brings gasoline, pellet guns, axes, and incendiary devices to a building where hundreds of everyday people work, it puts not just “the government” but ordinary citizens at risk. The terrorism task force probe now aims to learn how Arrabaca planned his actions, what pushed him to act, and whether gaps in security or mental health support might have allowed this threat to reach the building’s door.