Suspect in Arson at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's Residence Planned to Beat Him
- Victor Nwoko
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
A man who broke into the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion, set a fire, and told police he intended to beat Governor Josh Shapiro with a hammer has been charged with attempted homicide, terrorism, aggravated arson, and aggravated assault, according to court documents released Monday.
The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Cody Balmer of Harrisburg, scaled a nearly 7-foot-high iron security fence surrounding the property in the early hours of Sunday morning. He then evaded police surveillance and forcibly entered the residence using Molotov cocktails made from beer bottles filled with gasoline. The fire caused significant damage and forced Governor Shapiro, his wife, four children, two dogs, and guests to evacuate in the middle of the night. No injuries were reported.
Balmer was arrested later the same day. During a police interview, he allegedly admitted that he had walked an hour from his home to the mansion with the intent to attack Governor Shapiro using a small sledgehammer. He also expressed hatred toward the governor, though no specific reason was provided in the affidavit. Authorities stated that Balmer was inside the residence for about a minute before fleeing.
Shapiro said his family had been celebrating Passover with members of Harrisburg’s Jewish community on Saturday night, and they were awakened around 2 a.m. Sunday by state troopers alerting them to the fire. Firefighters quickly responded to extinguish the blaze. Speaking at a press conference later that evening in front of the charred south wing of the mansion, Shapiro condemned the violence and vowed it would not deter him from his duties or religious observance.
“If this individual was trying to stop me from doing my job, then I’m just going to work harder,” he said. “I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that someone attempts to put on me by attacking us as they did here last night.”
Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris confirmed Balmer’s identity and arrest but declined to provide further details on his motive. Authorities also noted that Balmer has a criminal history including charges of assault, theft, and forgery over the past decade. One of his most recent listed residences in Harrisburg was condemned in 2022.
Lt. Col. George Bivens described the incident as a carefully planned attack, noting that Balmer used improvised incendiary devices to start the fire and had seemingly studied the security layout. Balmer is currently being held at Dauphin County Prison.
The fire caused extensive damage to a large room in the mansion often used for events and art displays. Large west- and south-facing windows were blown out, with shattered glass and blackened brick surrounding the doorways. Inside, a charred piano, tables, buffet dishes, and walls bore evidence of the destruction, visible through broken windows and fire-blackened doors.
Speaking emotionally at the press conference, Shapiro decried the increasing normalization of political violence.
“This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society,” he said. “It is not OK, and it has to stop. We have to be better than this.”
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