Suspect in custody after small explosion outside New York City federal building tied to anti-ICE messaging 

An unidentified man with ties to anti-ICE messaging is in custody after allegedly setting off a small explosion and subsequent fire outside a federal building in New York City around 8:30 a.m. ET Monday.

“A man with an incendiary device and some liquid – I don’t know what the liquid was – put the liquid down, set some fireworks on top of it. It caused a little bit of a little fire. He was armed with a pellet gun,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office James Barnacle said during a press briefing later Monday.

The incident occurred in lower Manhattan outside 26 Federal Plaza, according to an X post from FBI Director Kash Patel, who added that the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the incident. One federal employee and one civilian suffered minor injuries, but both were treated and released, Barnacle said.

The New York Police Department, FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement all responded to the scene, Fox News reported. Federal officers found a cart bearing “an anti-ICE message” that the suspect allegedly used to hold the fireworks, according to the New York Post.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani – a vocal ICE critic – called the incident “deeply disturbing” in a post on X.

“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. Our administration will continue to ensure that every New Yorker is safe in their city – and hold accountable any who threaten that,” Mamdani said.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said the suspect “must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“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.”

This is a breaking story and may be updated.

(Image credit: Screenshot/Freedom News TV)