Fire at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home was arson, police say
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said he “woke up to bangs on the door” at 2 a.m. after an arsonist set fire to the governor’s residence.
Police arrested a man who they say broke into the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and set fire to a section of the residence, leading the official, his family and others to evacuate the mansion just hours after Shapiro hosted a Passover dinner.
No one was injured in the suspected arson on April 13, but there was extensive damage to the home. Images released by state officials show what appears to be a dining area charred by the flames, with windows blown out and light fixtures, furniture and interior walls all destroyed and covered with ash.
Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, terrorism and related offenses, Dauphin County District Attorney Francis Chardo said in a statement.
Shapiro was elected in 2023 and has since become one of the most well-known Democratic governors in the country – and has fielded questions about a future run for president after reports that he was on the shortlist to run as Kamala Harris’ vice president in the 2024 election.
Here’s what we know about the suspected arson and the man facing charges.
What happened at governor Josh Shapiro’s home?
Shapiro said he and his family “woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the governor’s residence in Harrisburg” around 2 a.m. on April 13. The governor’s family as well as another family in the house were safely evacuated from the residence by state troopers, the governor added.
“Last night, we experienced an attack, not just on our family, but on the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, here at the governor’s residence,” Shapiro said at the news conference.
Authorities said the suspect allegedly came over a fence surrounding the residence and forcibly entered the home before setting the fire.
Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said Balmer had “some homemade incendiary devices” and evaded troopers who knew there had been a security breach.
Shapiro said he was not fearful but concerned for his family. He would not say if he considered it a hate crime, saying he would leave that determination to investigators.
Shapiro said he was in contact with FBI Director Kash Patel, who “promised all of the resources of the federal government.” The FBI’s Philadelphia field office was also in touch with State Police, according to Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Col. Christopher Paris.
Contributing: Thao Nguyen, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy and Amaris Encinas