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.
Newly-released photos capture the damage to the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who evacuated with his family April 13 due to an apparent arson attack.
Police have arrested a suspect in the incident who told investigators he was “harboring hatred” toward Shapiro, and records say the suspect had planned to beat the governor with a hammer if he had encountered him.
The attack happened hours after Shapiro hosted a Passover dinner at the residence.
“This type of violence is not okay,” Shapiro said. “This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society, and I don’t give a damn if it’s coming from one particular side or another … It is not okay. And it has to stop.”
Photos show damage the fire caused inside Shapiro’s residence
The room where the fire was set appears blackened, with peeling wallpaper, charred trim and a smoke-stained ceiling. A table cloth appeared to have melted, coffee cups and plates fell and broke, and the couch’s stuffing is ripped up and exposed.
Suspect arrested, surveillance video shows he threw Molotov cocktails
According to police documents, surveillance footage showed a man approach the piano room on the south side of the governor’s residence, smash a window and throw a Molotov cocktail inside. He then entered the residence through another broken window and threw a second one.
Cody Balmer, 38, was arrested April 13 after he approached a trooper at the Pennsylvania State Police to turn himself in. He was charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, terrorism and related offenses, police said.
In an interview with detectives, Balmer admitted to “harboring hatred” towards the Governor.
Lawyer information for Balmer was not immediately available.
Contributing: Christopher Cann
Kinsey Crowley is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected]. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.