3 people injured in Manhattan ICE building attack—including migrant attending immigration hearing

Authorities have revealed that three people were injured in an attack on a federal building housing ICE in Manhattan on Monday, with the arrested suspect, Andrew Arrabaca, being an "anti-American, anti-government extremist."

James Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office, told reporters that suspect Arrabaca arrived at 26 Federal Plaza just before 9 am on Monday morning, where he poured gasoline onto the ground and used a "large firework" to set the fuel ablaze.

Barnacle said, "He then pulled out an airsoft rifle, and fired five to seven pellets, if you will, in the direction of 26 Federal Plaza." He said two Federal Protective Services officers and a contractor serving as security at the building took the suspect down, with an FBI agent jumping in as well.

A total of three people were injured in the attack, two being government employees and one being a civilian who was a migrant attending an immigration hearing. Barnacle said Arrabaca is a former US Army soldier and served from 2001 to 2005 as a repairman on the Patriot missile systems.

"Mr. Arrabaca came armed with bad intentions," said Barnacle. He said that the building has "long been a target of extremists, of terrorists." He said that Arrabaca "was looking to injure people and harm people. He had two axes, a hammer, a machete, and three knives, fixed-blade knives. He had, as I said earlier, six incendiary devices or fireworks, and he had some other destructive items."

Barnacle said Arrabaca had a cart with him, on which was "anti-ICE literature," and said that when Arrabaca was being arrested, "He yelled derogatory terms to ICE, used bad words, obviously. He is an anti-American, anti-government extremist. We know that from what he said. We know that from what he has said post-arrest, and we know that from what his actions that he tried to take today."

NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch said that Arrabaca’s last known address was in Harlem, and that his vehicle was located parked in the area of West 124th Street and Broadway. She said a sign was affixed to the cart reading "ICE off our streets," and that during the attack, Arrabaca was wearing a "military-style helmet."

Barnacle said that during an interview with authorities, Arrabaca said "he was targeting the building, and he was okay if he hurt or killed people going in and out of the building, whether they were federal employees or civilians." Barnacle said that "there was a naturalization ceremony scheduled for today that was canceled, and 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."