A 38-year-old man from Harrisburg set fire to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion early Sunday, hours after the state’s first family celebrated the first night of Passover, according to police.
Here’s what we know about the fire, the damage, the suspect and what comes next.
Who is the suspect?
Police said Cody Balmer of Harrisburg turn himself in Sunday afternoon after an ex-girlfriend called police saying he’d admitted to breaking into the governor’s property.
What has Cody Balmer been charged with?
Balmer was charged with attempted homicide, arson and terrorism, among other related offenses, according to court documents.
How did Balmer get inside the Governor’s Residence?
Balmer told police he scaled the fence, evading security detail, along the perimeter of the governor’s residence. He broke a window on the piano room side of the home with a hammer and throwing one of his homemade incendiary devices — Heineken beer bottles filled with gasoline — inside the home, according to the complaint.
Officials said he was in the building for less than a minute, and escaped back over the fence even as State Police were searching the grounds for him.
Deputy State Police Commissioner George Bivens said Balmer “was very methodical in his approach and moved through it without a lot of hurry."
Where does the investigation stand?
Officials have begun to review the breach to determine how the alleged arsonist evaded the governor's protective detail, and "determine how we can ensure that we don't have a repeat of a situation like this," Mr. Bivens said.
The FBI, state Attorney General's Office, Capitol Police and Dauphin County District Attorney's Office are continuing to investigate, officials said Sunday in a news conference just outside the Harrisburg mansion.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said he joined “all Pennsylvanians in praying for the Shapiro family following this criminal act.”
How bad was the fire?
It took firefighters about 20 minutes to put out the blaze, and a portion of the Georgian-style mansion was seriously damaged, police said. Photos posted on the Harrisburg Fire Department’s Facebook page show smoke pouring from the first floor.
Was anyone injured?
Though the Shapiro family and guests were inside the home at the time, there were no injures reported.
What do we know about Balmer and his feelings about Shapiro?
Balmer said he was harboring a “hatred” for Mr. Shapiro, according to court documents. The suspect told police he would have beaten the governor with a hammer had he encountered him.
Balmer’s mother, Christie Balmer, told the Associated Press that her son had bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
She and a neighbor said Balmer had not been taking his medication.
What prevented the fire from spreading further?
A closed door might have saved Mr. Shapiro and his family, Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said.
A set of closed doors between the main ballroom and the rest of the house kept the flames from spreading further.
“If that door wasn’t closed, the fire would have spread and would have definitely put the governor at even greater risk,” Chief Enterline said in a news conference carried live by WGAL8. “It would have rapidly spread down that hallway.”
How did Shapiro react?
"This type of violence is not OK. This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society," Mr. Shapiro said, flanked by state and local law enforcement officials, during a news conference Sunday evening. "I don't give a damn if it's coming from one side or the other. It is not OK and it has to stop."
How have others reacted?
The attack early Sunday drew swift condemnation from the state’s top leaders and Mr. Shapiro’s predecessors, all of whom lived in the residence during their years in office.
The top Republican in the state Senate, President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, said she would review the investigation when police release their findings.
“The most important thing is Gov. Shapiro and his family are safe and healthy,” Ms. Ward, of Westmoreland County, posted on X. “I am grateful for the work of our firefighters and law enforcement agencies for their quick response to this tragic incident.”
“The images showing the damage to the home we lived in with our children for nearly eight years are heartbreaking,” former Gov. Tom Ridge, a Republican and former secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, wrote. “All of us should feel safe in our homes, especially when that home is our state’s official residence, which makes this particularly shocking.”
“Whoever is responsible for this attack — to both the Shapiro family and our Commonwealth — must be held to account,” Mr. Ridge wrote.
State Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Todd, speaking on behalf of the court, said “my colleagues and I share the disbelief and outrage felt by all Pennsylvanians …and I extend my sincere support and concern for the governor and his family and gratitude to the first responders who acted quickly and courageously in the face of violence and hate.
“Acts of violence targeting our communities, neighbors, first responders and public officials are a stark reminder of the need for us to come together to reject hate and stand in solidarity and support for the institutions that unite us as Pennsylvanians.”
The state’s 44th governor, Mark Schweiker, called the suspected arson “a despicable act of cowardice.”
“Kathy and I hope all Pennsylvanians will join us in keeping Josh, Lori and their family in their prayers,” Mr. Schweiker wrote. “We thank the firefighters who bravely responded to the fire, as well as the Pennsylvania State Police and all law enforcement for their ongoing efforts to bring the coward who attacked the People’s House to justice."
First Published: April 14, 2025, 3:05 p.m.
Updated: April 15, 2025, 7:57 p.m.
