The U.S. Army veteran accused of setting a fire outside a New York City federal building that houses an immigration court and other government agencies will face an arson charge related to the Monday attack. Federal prosecutors said the suspect had been planning the attack for months.
Andrew Arrabaca, 43, appeared in a Manhattan federal court Tuesday for his alleged actions outside 26 Federal Plaza. He did not enter a plea. Arrabaca, who served as a mechanic on Patriot missile systems in the Army, harbored anti-ICE and anti-government views.
The suspect was found with a range of weapons, including a pellet gun, knives, a hammer, and a machete. Authorities said Arrabaca arrived at the federal building sometime around 8:30 a.m. and lit a large firework before pouring a liquid that ignited a fire.
According to authorities, Arrabaca also fired five to seven pellets from an airsoft rifle toward the building. He was arrested by federal officials a short time later and has been in custody since. During the incident, Arrabaca made several anti-government and anti-ICE statements.
Prosecutors said Arrabaca had been planning the attack since January, when he began buying supplies and visiting sites around New York. He allegedly told law enforcement that he went to several other sites around the city bringing materials and considered attacking them.
The suspect targeted a specific entrance because it was busy and employees were heading to work and members of the public were heading inside, said prosecutors, who described his actions as "calculated." Arrabaca admitted that he was aware people could be hurt and was willing to accept the risk.
Defense attorneys said Arrabaca has mental health issues and asked that he be placed in a Department of Veterans Affairs mental health hospital for evaluation and treatment. Prosecutors noted that Arrabaca does not have a stable residence or employment and was living out of a car before the attack.
