FBI investigates blast outside Manhattan federal building

A man was taken into custody Monday morning after authorities said he set off explosions and started a fire outside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan, a federal building that houses the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The FBI said an individual “deployed an incendiary device” outside the building at about 8:20 a.m. and that the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating. James Barnacle, an FBI official, said authorities are treating the incident as politically motivated.

“At this time, our Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this as an anti-government attack on a federal facility,” Barnacle said.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the man launched fireworks outside the building, poured gasoline on the stairs and set it on fire. Firefighters responded and extinguished the flames. Video from the scene showed heavy smoke outside the building as law enforcement officers moved in and arrested a man.

Multiple law enforcement sources told CBS News that officers who heard the explosion ran toward the steps leading into the building and found a man with an airsoft rifle, carbon dioxide cartridges, halogen lighting and a helmet. The sources said the suspect had a small cart with the slogan “ICE off our streets” written on it and described him as an anti-ICE activist.

The Guardian, citing New York station PIX11, reported that officials said fireworks appeared to have started a fire after being “loaded into a wagon bearing a sign that read ‘ICE out of our streets.’”

A DHS statement said a Federal Protective Service officer “swiftly tackled and detained the agitator, sustaining minor injuries during the incident.” DHS also said the man’s bag contained two pellet guns and a manifesto.

Law enforcement sources told CBS News that preliminary information indicated the suspect carried two realistic-looking BB guns or airsoft guns, including a long gun in a grocery cart. CBS News law enforcement analyst Richard Esposito described the items as “things you might use in paintball-type events.” Sources said an initial review found that no shots were fired.

Officials did not immediately release the suspect’s name. The Guardian reported that NBC New York, citing four anonymous sources, identified him as 43-year-old Andrew Arrabaca and reported that the sources said he “may have emotional issues” and had previously served in the U.S. Army and the National Guard.

Reports on injuries differed. Firefighters told CBS News that four people suffered minor, non-life-threatening injuries and that one person was taken to a local hospital. A DHS spokesperson said one person was grazed by fireworks and that a security officer had minor injuries after tackling the suspect. The Guardian, citing PIX11, reported that three people were injured and two required hospital treatment.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the incident “deeply disturbing.”

“My team is in touch with the NYPD, and we will support the federal investigation,” Mamdani wrote on social media. “Our administration will continue to ensure that every New Yorker is safe in their city — and hold accountable any who threaten that.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents a New York district, praised law enforcement’s response.

“I am grateful to law enforcement for their swift actions to stop an attack at 26 Federal Plaza this morning, for successfully apprehending the suspect and for keeping the people of New York City safe,” Jeffries said. “Acts of terror and violence have no place in our city and will never be tolerated. The individual responsible for this must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Police warned the public to expect traffic delays, mass transit disruptions and road closures near Worth and Lafayette streets and urged people to avoid the area.