Monday morning in Lower Manhattan started with an explosion of chaos, as an incendiary device outside NYC federal building sent flames licking up the entrance steps of 26 Federal Plaza — an attack officials say was carried out by an Army veteran armed with far more than just anger.

Andrew Arrabaca, 43, doused the ground with gasoline and set it ablaze using a lighter and an incendiary device, according to James Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's New York Field Office. It was, in Barnacle's words, an act carried out by someone who "came armed with bad intentions" — a description that leaves little room for ambiguity about what unfolded.

Three People Caught In The Blast's Path

The fallout from the attack left three people injured — one civilian and two government employees, Barnacle confirmed, though officials have not detailed the extent of their wounds.

How The Morning Unfolded

Before Arrabaca's identity became public, a law enforcement source revealed the man taken into custody had been carrying an anti-ICE poster at the time of the incident — a detail that immediately colored the investigation's early hours.

The chaos erupted at 26 Federal Plaza, a Manhattan building that houses a cluster of federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI. Social media video captured the scene like a snapshot of controlled pandemonium: flames outside the building, someone hurling an object into the fire that appeared to set off fireworks, and another bystander rushing in to douse the blaze.

DHS Describes A Rapid, Violent Sequence

The Department of Homeland Security offered its own account, stating: "An anti-ICE rioter launched fireworks outside of 26 Federal Plaza, grazing a bystander and poured what is believed to be gasoline on the stairs of the entrance of the building and set it on fire." A Federal Protective Service officer, according to DHS, "swiftly tackled and detained the agitator, sustaining minor injuries during the incident" — a split-second intervention that likely prevented the situation from spiraling further.

Officials said the suspect was carrying a bag containing what appeared to be two pellet guns and a manifesto — an unsettling combination that immediately raised the stakes of the investigation.

A Scene Shrouded In Smoke And Uncertainty

The New York Fire Department confirmed three civilians suffered minor injuries in the incident, though specifics weren't disclosed. The suspect himself also sustained minor, non-life-threatening injuries, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Separate footage showed law enforcement officers emerging from a thick plume of smoke outside the building — an image that could easily be mistaken for the aftermath of a much larger disaster.

Suspect Allegedly Used Weapon To Hold Crowd Back

During the chaos, the man reportedly kept bystanders at bay by brandishing a pellet gun, according to a law enforcement source. He was also pulling a cart loaded with two rifles, fireworks, and other items — an arsenal that suggests the attack was anything but spontaneous.

At the time, the suspect's identity and motive remained undisclosed, though two law enforcement sources confirmed he was carrying anti-ICE material, with one specifically identifying it as a poster.

Piecing Together What Was Thrown

Exact details of what was thrown and ignited weren't immediately clear in the early hours of the investigation. The FBI initially described it simply as an incendiary device, while separate law enforcement sources — citing a preliminary assessment — said it likely combined fireworks with a flammable liquid, a volatile mixture capable of turning a quiet morning into a scene of sudden danger.

Investigators Dig Into Suspect's Background

Police have begun combing through the suspect's history, checking for any prior criminal record in New York City or past encounters with law enforcement tied to mental illness, according to a law enforcement source — a routine but critical step in understanding what led to Monday's attack.

City Officials Respond To The Unrest

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the incident directly, calling it deeply unsettling. "What occurred outside 26 Federal Plaza this morning was deeply disturbing," Mamdani said. "I'm relieved no one was seriously injured and that a suspect is in custody. My team is in touch with the NYPD and we will support the federal investigation."

Federal Task Force And Bomb Squad Step In

The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has taken the lead on the investigation, while the NYPD's bomb squad was called in separately to examine the fireworks and other materials found in the suspect's cart — a multi-agency response reflecting the seriousness with which authorities are treating the incident.

26 Federal Plaza, officially known as the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building, sits in the heart of Lower Manhattan and houses not just federal agencies but also immigration courts and the Joint Terrorism Task Force itself — making it a building where symbolism and security concerns intersect in a way few other structures in the city do.

Mayor Mamdani closed with a pointed reassurance to residents: "Our administration will continue to ensure that every New Yorker is safe in their city – and hold accountable any who threaten that."