Former Army Private Indicted in Manhattan Federal Building Attack
Former Army private indicted for arson in planned Manhattan federal building attack motivated by anti-government ideology.
Event / Conflict
Manhattan Federal Building Attack
Former Army private Andrew Arrabaca was indicted on arson charges following a July 20 attack on the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in Manhattan. The attack, planned since January, involved flammable liquids, fireworks, and multiple weapons. Motivated by anti-government and anti-ICE beliefs, it resulted in at least one injury and posed substantial risk to federal employees and emergency personnel.
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2026-08-13 to 2026-11-10 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 5 Aug, 00:53 UTC
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What happened
Suspect armed with multiple weapons during federal building attack
Andrew Arrabaca arrived at the federal building armed with various weapons including a pellet gun, knives, a hammer, and a machete. He fired five to seven pellets from an airsoft rifle toward the building. Surveillance cameras captured him in a helmet lighting fireworks, pouring gasoline onto a stairwell and igniting it, and firing a BB rifle before being tackled by a security guard.
Attack on federal building planned since January
Federal prosecutors stated that Arrabaca began planning the July 20 attack in January when he traveled upstate to purchase a pellet gun and BB gun and to Pennsylvania to purchase fireworks. He told investigators he considered other locations in the city before settling on a busy employee entrance at 26 Federal Plaza.
Attack motivated by anti-government and anti-ICE beliefs
FBI Assistant Director James C. Barnacle Jr. stated that Arrabaca's alleged acts appeared to have been motivated by his anti-government and anti-ICE beliefs. U.S. Attorney Samantha Fry noted that Arrabaca understood his actions could have harmed others and that he was willing to accept his own death in carrying out the attack.
Suspect has not yet entered plea in arson case
Andrew Arrabaca has not yet entered a plea in response to the arson charge. An arraignment date was not immediately scheduled.
Former Army private indicted on arson charge for attack on NYC federal building
Andrew Arrabaca, a 43-year-old former Army private and mechanic on Patriot missile systems, was indicted on July 21 with arson or explosion causing damage to U.S. government property, which carries a minimum sentence of seven years in prison. He is accused of using a flammable liquid to ignite a fire at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in Manhattan on July 20, throwing a firework into the fire that exploded, and lighting fireworks at the building. The attack caused injury to at least one person and created substantial risk of injury to federal employees, security guards, and emergency personnel.
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