‘QUITE IRONIC’: Suspect With Anti-ICE Sign Who Set Off Fireworks at Federal Building Only Injured One Person

A suspect whom the Department of Homeland Security called an “anti-ICE rioter” set off fireworks outside a federal office building in New York and injured only one person—an immigrant who was there for an immigration status hearing.

“The one civilian victim was an immigrant that had a hearing today for their immigration status, so that’s quite unfortunate and quite ironic at the same time,” James Barnacle, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office, said in a press conference Monday afternoon.

Barnacle identified the suspect as 43-year-old Andrew Arrabaca, of Poughkeepsie, a U.S. Army veteran whose last known address was in Harlem. The suspect attacked 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan, a building that houses offices of dozens of federal agencies, including an immigration court, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement staging facility, and ICE’s New York City headquarters.

When asked if the suspect had protested against ICE previously, Barnacle said, “Protesting in the United States is protected by the First Amendment.”

“I don’t know if he’s been involved in any protest at all,” the FBI agent said.

Jamie McDonald, deputy U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Arrabaca made “anti-government and anti-American statements.” In a post-arrest interview, the suspect said “he was targeting the building and it was OK if he hurt or killed people going in and out of the building, whether they were federal employees or civilians,” McDonald noted.

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NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said police responded to a call of an active shooter at around 8:30 a.m. Monday. Callers reported an explosion and a man setting off fireworks.

The NYPD responded within two minutes and took the suspect, Arrabaca, into custody. Law enforcement has apprehended his vehicle and will search it when it obtains a warrant.

“The entire incident unfolded in view of an NYPD camera,” Tisch noted. According to the footage, Arrabaca appeared to ignite a bundle of “what appears to be fireworks, which begin to smoke.” Then he proceeded to apparently brandish an Airsoft rifle. Tisch added that, according to footage, the suspect appears to pull out an orange bucket, dump “an incendiary liquid between two sets of bushes along the perimeter of this property and ignites a fire.”

Federal officers subdued the agitator quickly.

“Fixed to the suspect’s cart was a sign reading, ‘ICE off our streets,’” she noted.

The Department of Homeland Security described the suspect as an “anti-ICE rioter.”

Federal charges have yet to be filed, authorities said.

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