Gov. Shapiro and his family escape arson fire at governor’s mansion
A 38-year-old man was charged with attempted murder and terrorism after allegedly throwing gasoline-filled beer bottles into the residence, according to police.
Just hours after celebrating the first night of Passover on April 12 with a seder at the governor’s mansion, Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were forced to evacuate the home early Sunday morning after fire broke out in the building. Police say Cody Balmer, 38, scaled a security fence, broke into the estate and used gasoline-filled beer bottles to set fire to the historic residence.
Balmer was charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, terrorism, and other offenses, according to the Dauphin County district attorney. Police say Balmer’s “ex-paramour” called law enforcement to alert them that he had allegedly confessed to setting the fire and wanted to turn himself in. The suspect told police that he would have attacked Shapiro with a hammer if he had encountered him while inside the home, according to the criminal complaint, which says that during an interview Balmer “admitted to harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro.”
Shapiro and his family awoke to a state trooper pounding on their door around 2 a.m., after which the governor, first lady Lori Shapiro, their children, two dogs, and guests safely fled the house. No one was injured in the fire, which significantly damaged the Susquehanna riverfront home, including the room where Shapiro, his family and members of the community celebrated Passover on Saturday night.
“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 a Sunday press conference. “I want you all to know that your prayers lift us up, and in this moment of darkness, we are choosing to see light.”
The governor went on to condemn the political violence that researchers say has been on the rise in the United States for years.
“This type of violence is not OK,” 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 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.”
Other high-profile incidents of political violence include attempts to assassinate Donald Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign; right-wing extremists’ plot to kidnap and kill Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020; and a right-wing extremist’s 2022 attack on then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, in their home.
Visibly emotional during the press conference, Shapiro said he and his family have been deeply affected by this crime.
“If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community who joined us for a Passover seder in that room last night, hear me on this: We celebrated our faith last night proudly, and in a few hours we will celebrate our second seder of Passover again proudly,” Shapiro said. “No one will deter me or my family or any Pennsylvanian from celebrating their faith openly and proudly.
“I am grateful to the good people of Pennsylvania for giving me the honor to serve as their 48th governor,” Shapiro continued. “I will continue to pour every ounce of my being into this work. I’m going to do my best to be your governor and, right now, to be a good husband and father to my family who are obviously traumatized by what occurred here last night.”
According to the criminal complaint, Balmer filled beer bottles with gasoline from a lawn mower before walking an hour from his house to the governor’s mansion. There, he scaled a perimeter fence, evaded state troopers charged with protecting the mansion, broke two of the residence’s windows with a hammer, and threw the Molotov cocktails inside. Pennsylvania State Police Colonel Christopher Paris said during Sunday’s press conference that state troopers were searching for Balmer while he was on the grounds and inside the home. Balmer allegedly fled using the same fence he originally scaled, according to Paris.
While Balmer currently only faces state charges, the federal government is also investigating the incident, and he could face federal charges as well, Dauphin County District Attorney Francis Chardo said Sunday.
