A U.S. Army veteran was charged with arson after setting a fire outside a federal building in Manhattan that houses an immigration court and several government agencies.
The 43‑year‑old appeared in federal court on Tuesday for the incident that injured three people before he was subdued. He entered a plea of not guilty and was ordered to be released to a mental‑health facility pending further proceedings.
The magistrate judge described the crime as “troubling” and noted that the attack had been planned over time rather than being a spontaneous act.
According to law‑enforcement officials, the defendant, who previously served as a mechanic on Patriot missile systems, expressed anti‑government and anti‑ICE sentiments and was identified as an extremist.
He arrived at the building around 8:30 a.m. carrying a utility wagon marked with an anti‑ICE slogan, along with a pellet gun, knives, a hammer, a machete, axes, fireworks and a flammable liquid.
Witnesses reported that he ignited a large firework and poured the liquid, creating a blaze with bright orange flames near the entrance, and then fired five to seven pellets from an air‑soft rifle toward the building.
During the confrontation, he made statements indicating he was willing to harm anyone entering the building, whether federal employees or civilians.
Authorities recovered additional weapons, including a helmet bearing hostile phrases, and noted that the defendant had been planning the attack since January, purchasing supplies and scouting potential targets.
Surveillance footage showed people standing only a few feet from the entrance when the fire was ignited, and at least one victim sustained a head injury from debris.
The defense attorney requested that the defendant be placed in a Department of Veterans Affairs mental‑health hospital for evaluation, citing ongoing mental‑health issues.
The magistrate judge rejected the request, stating that compliance with treatment could not be assured.
The building has been a focal point for protests against immigration enforcement, and one of the injured individuals was an immigrant attending a hearing.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for early August, and the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison if convicted.
