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What we know about the arson at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's residence

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks at a news conference Sunday after an alleged arson at the governor's residence that occurred overnight while he and his family were asleep inside. Marc Levy/AP

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks at a news conference Sunday after an alleged arson at the governor's residence that occurred overnight while he and his family were asleep inside. Marc Levy/AP

Authorities in Pennsylvania have arrested the man they say intentionally set fire to the governor's residence early Sunday morning while Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were asleep inside.

Prosecutors have charged Cody Balmer, 38, with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and other crimes. He turned himself in to police later on Sunday.

Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the attack, but investigators say Balmer told them he had been "harboring hatred" toward Shapiro and would have beaten the governor with a hammer if he'd encountered him during the break-in at the Harrisburg residence.

Pennsylvania State Police said Monday that Balmer had been hospitalized and was receiving treatment for "a medical event not connected to this incident or his arrest."

At a press conference Sunday evening, a shaken Shapiro thanked law enforcement officers for their work and well-wishers for their messages of support, as he forcefully denounced acts of political violence.

 

This image provided by Commonwealth Media Services shows damage from a fire at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion in Harrisburg early Sunday morning.
This image provided by Commonwealth Media Services shows damage from a fire at the Pennsylvania governor's mansion in Harrisburg early Sunday morning. AP/Commonwealth Media Services

 

"This type of violence is not ok! This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society," Shapiro said. "And I don't give a damn if it's coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another or one particular person or another, it is not ok. And it has to stop. We have to be better than this."

Here's what we know so far about the arson attack.

Police detail how the arson unfolded

Investigators say Balmer accessed the governor's residence grounds by climbing a perimeter fence on the south side of the property.

According to a probable cause affidavit written by the Pennsylvania State Police, Balmer was then seen on surveillance video approaching the piano room on the south side of the residence.

He broke a window in the piano room and threw an incendiary device inside, authorities say, before breaking an adjacent window, climbing through it into the residence and throwing a second incendiary device into the dining room. Police say both rooms suffered "significant fire damage."

Balmer was then spotted on surveillance video kicking open a dining room exit door, climbing over the same fence he used to enter the property and running away.

 

Fire damage is seen inside the Pennsylvania governor's residences following a suspected arson attack Sunday. Police have charged Cody Balmer with attempted murder and other crimes.
Fire damage is seen inside the Pennsylvania governor's residences following a suspected arson attack Sunday. Police have charged Cody Balmer with attempted murder and other crimes. Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images North America

 

Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said Balmer was inside the residence for less than a minute and that the entire incident played out over "a period of several minutes" and was a "very quick event."

Troopers had been alerted to a perimeter breach at the residence and were investigating it while Balmer allegedly committed the arson, Bivens said. "He actively evaded troopers who were here to secure the residence even while they were searching for him on the property," he said. "While they were searching is when he attacked the residence, broke in and set the fires."

What Balmer told investigators

During the investigation, a woman police said was Balmer's "ex-paramour" called authorities and said Balmer had confessed to her to setting the fires at Shapiro's residence and wanted her to tell the police he did it.

A short time later, Balmer approached an officer outside the Pennsylvania State Police headquarters in Harrisburg and admitted he was responsible for the arson, police say.

In a subsequent interview, investigators say Balmer told them he hated Shapiro and was aware that Shapiro and others might be in the house at the time of the attack. When police asked Balmer what he would have done if he'd encountered Shapiro, "he advised he would have beaten him with his hammer," officers said.

Balmer allegedly told police that he walked for about an hour to the governor's residence — roughly three miles from the address listed for him in the affidavit — and that he created the homemade Molotov cocktails used in the attack by pouring gasoline from a lawnmower into empty Heineken beer bottles. Investigators found two broken Heineken bottles containing gasoline at the crime scene.

A search of Balmer's residence turned up a Snap-on jacket, a black bag and a small sledgehammer that police say were identical to those used by the perpetrator seen in the surveillance footage of the attack.

What happens next

The Pennsylvania State Police said Balmer was under police supervision at the hospital and will be transported to Dauphin County Prison for arraignment once he's released.

The full list of charges against him include attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, reckless endangerment, terrorism, aggravated assault and loitering.

It was unclear Monday afternoon if Balmer had retained an attorney.

Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo said Sunday evening that the FBI was involved in the investigation and that it would be possible for Balmer to face not only state but also federal criminal charges.

"He may face both. They're separate sovereigns," Chardo said. "It may be both, but we always look at … where we can get the best justice."

Bivens also said authorities had begun a security review to determine "how we can ensure that we don't have a repeat of a situation like this."

Political leaders offer messages of support

U.S. politicians from the federal to municipal level quickly offered messages of support for Shapiro, a Democrat, and his family after the fire.

Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton condemned the "dangerous and despicable attack" on Shapiro's Harrisburg home. "Cowardly acts of violence meant to stoke fear have no place in our commonwealth," she said.

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis said "these sorts of acts deter good people from pursuing public service at a time when we desperately need more Americans to participate in our democracy."

"Thanks be to God that Governor Shapiro and his family were unharmed in this attack," Vice President JD Vance said. "Really disgusting violence, and I hope whoever did it is brought swiftly to justice."

Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was "deeply relieved that Governor Shapiro and his family are safe" and praised the work of first responders and police.

Author: Joe Hernandez

Source: NPR

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