Andrew Arrabaca faces federal arson charges after launching a firework and airsoft rifle attack at a Manhattan immigration court.
Andrew Arrabaca, a 43-year-old Army veteran, was charged with federal arson Tuesday after launching a firework and airsoft rifle attack at 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan. The man targeted the building, which houses a major immigration court, by dousing a stairwell with gasoline and igniting it with a large firework. During the incident, Arrabaca also fired pellets from an airsoft rifle and carried a cart with a sign reading "ICE Off Our Streets." The administration has seen the building become a flashpoint for immigration enforcement, where federal agents frequently arrest illegal immigrants. FBI Assistant Director James Barnacle described Arrabaca as an "anti-American, anti-government extremist" who was willing to risk hurting or killing people during his attack. While Arrabaca provided a confession and expressed a desire to protest the agency, Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky ordered him to be held in jail while awaiting trial. The judge noted that while Arrabaca is clearly ill, he chose not to utilize available medical care before the incident.
Sources
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NYC man accused of setting fire outside immigration court charged with arson
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