A Harrisburg man said he was harboring a “hatred” toward Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro when he walked an hour from his home to the Governor’s Mansion, broke into the property and tossed several incendiary devices that caught the home on fire while the governor, his wife and guests were inside early Sunday morning, causing significant damage hours after the family had celebrated the beginning of Passover, according to court documents.
Cody Balmer, 38, turned himself into police Sunday afternoon. He was arraigned Monday evening and denied bail.
Balmer is charged with attempted homicide, arson and terrorism, among other related offenses. Balmer’s ex had called police to say he was the suspect and that he had admitted to her that he set the fire and wanted to turn himself in.
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.
When police asked what he would have done if he encountered Mr. Shapiro inside the home, Balmer said he would have beaten him with his hammer, according to the complaint.
Here’s the latest.
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6:47 p.m.
Balmer speaks during arraignment
After asking questions about Balmer's education and overall background, District Judge Dale Klein said there was no way that setting bail would leave the community in a safe place and denied defense attorney Colin Whitener's request for "reasonable monetary bail."
Balmer, dressed in a tan, long-sleeve shirt, jeans, and Converse high top sneakers, arrived at the court just after 5:30 p.m. He met with Mr. Whitener privately for about five minutes before Judge Klein asked Balmer if he knew why he was here.
He replied, "Yes, ma'am."
Balmer said he was being held at Camp Hill Correctional facility in Cumberland County, last resided at 2741 Boas St. and was unemployed.
He last worked as a welder at Morgan Truck Body, he added.
Balmer said that discussion about his mental health issues was "rumor," and when asked by the judge how many kids he had, he replied, "A lot of children, ma'am" but he declined to say how many.
Throughout the hearing, he had a blank face and stared straight ahead.
After meeting with Mr. Whitener for about 10 minutes, Balmer did not answer questions from reporters before being driven away by a state trooper.
— Steve Bohnel
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6:02 p.m.
Balmer denied bail
At his formal arraignment in Harrisburg at the office of District Judge Dale Klein, Balmer was denied bail.
He faces a preliminary hearing April 23.
— Steve Bohnel
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4:13 p.m.
Arraignment scheduled
Balmer will be formally arraigned at 5 p.m. at the office of District Judge Dale Klein, according to a Pennsylvania courts spokeswoman.
He’s charged with attempted homicide, arson and terrorism, among other related offenses.
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4:04 p.m.
Jewish Family and Community Services president says attack during Passover reopens old wounds
Jordan Golin, president and CEO of Pittsburgh's Jewish Family and Community Services, condemned the arson attack on the governor.
“My immediate reaction of course was shock that someone would fire bomb a house with two parents and four children sleeping inside, regardless of political ideology or whatever was motivating the attack,” Mr. Golin said.
Mr. Golin said he, along with the members of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community he’s recently spoken with, consider the incident to be an antisemitic attack.
“It took place several hours after the governor posted photos of his Passover Seder on social media and the connection felt very direct,” he said. “It didn’t seem like a coincidence.”
Mr. Golin said the news of the attack has also re-opened old wounds left by the shooting at the Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018.
“Our Pittsburgh community, and the Jewish community in particular, is still reacting to the synagogue attack and incidents like this, in which a public official who is openly Jewish was attacked in his home…it feels like it’s a part of the fabric of our society today,” he said. “I think the attack really has the effect of picking away at some of the scars that formed after the synagogue attack and is a reminder that Jews aren’t as safe as we thought we were.
Mr. Golin said that he was appalled that the governor’s wife and children were also targeted during Passover, a time when relatives get together and celebrate in their homes.
“It’s a holiday that’s celebrated through family, not a holiday that’s celebrated at synagogue…for the family that’s at the center of the traditional Passover observance to be targeted, which is really what happened here ... certainly, there’s something even more horrifying about an attack on a family, even more than on an adult individual,” he said.
— Jacob Geanous
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3:15 p.m.
Pennsylvania AG Dave Sunday: ‘No place … for hate-filled violence’
Dave Sunday, Pennsylvania’s attorney general, told CNN Monday that his heart went out to Mr. Shapiro, his family, first responders and all Pennsylvanians, calling the attack “absolutely horrific.”
Mr. Sunday, who noted he couldn’t comment much on the investigation as his office was not leading the inquiry, said it was clear the attack marked an act “of terror in some form or fashion … It was very, very serious and I feel terrible for the governor.”
When asked by CNN’s Dana Bash if the attack was antisemitic because of its timing on the first night of Passover, Mr. Sunday said that if that was indeed the case, “it’s reprehensible.”
“There is no place in our society for hate-filled violence, really for violence at all,” he said. “My hope is that antisemitism does not play a role … anyone that would do that, they need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Pressed on the danger of the security breach even as Mr. Shapiro and others have thanked Pennsylvania State Police, Mr. Sunday said that first, investigators must gather all the facts of the crime.
“There will certainly be a time to look at how this happened,” he said. “But it’s critical, at this point in an investigation, that the investigators look specifically to the facts to determine what happened in this case with regard to criminal culpability. There will be time for those discussions. [Pennsylvania State Police] are one of the most professional, experienced and quality law enforcement organizations that exist. There will be time for a sort of after-action report, but the reality is right now everything goes to investigating this defendant.”
Still, he described the breach as “clearly a concern.”
“As an elected official myself, I have a family, I have a young son,” he said. “Safety is something that is on all of our minds 24 hours a day. It’s very scary when violence, especially of a political nature, occurs. The impact is far greater than the one person who was a target. It chills public discourse. It puts people in a position where they’re fearful. Of course it’s very, very concerning that this individual was able to get into the governor’s mansion.”
Informed by Ms. Bash that Balmer reportedly had been previously charged with assault after attempting suicide, Mr. Sunday said it was an opportunity to discuss mental health and “the lack of access to treatment.”
He said that as a career prosecutor, mental health often arose as a critical component of the crimes he dealt with in years past.
— Benjamin Kail
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2:59 p.m.
Pa. lawmakers call for security review in wake of arson attack on governor
The horrific arson attack on the governor’s residence early Sunday had at least the chairman of the Senate Law & Justice Committee – a Republican – and a top ranking House Democrat pushing for thorough safety reviews.
“People need to remember that elected officials are real people, with families,” said Republican Sen. Dan Laughlin of Erie County. “This type of attack puts fear into all of us.” He added, “This was a family guy, whose family was attacked.”
In the Republican-controlled state Senate, Republicans run the committees. Mr. Laughlin is chairman of the Senate Law & Justice Committee.
“It is probably going to be appropriate for at least one of the Senate committees to hold an informational hearing on how this individual was so easily able to attack the governor’s residence,” Mr. Laughlin said.
In the House, Democrats control the chamber and run the committees. Leaders of several committees could not immediately be reached for comment on Monday.
House and Senate lawmakers are not scheduled to be in session in Harrisburg at all this week.
Democratic Sen. Judy Schwank of Berks County said that concerning security, a “thorough, top-to-bottom review for the residence — the mansion — is paramount.” Ms. Schwank said she believed at least one non-legislative version of such a review had already started.
— Ford Turner
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2:44 p.m.
Attack leaves Jewish community on edge
The attack on Mr. Shapiro and his family at the start of Passover left many in the Jewish community uneasy.
"It’s a holiday that means a whole lot to us and means a whole lot to be with family and feel as though you’re in a safe space,” Suzan Hauptman, 60, who celebrated Passover Seder with about 20 friends at her Washington County apartment building over the weekend. “With the current climate, with nobody feeling safe at all, the one time that you’re surrounded by people you should be safe with and somebody has the nerve to do this.”
Jan Shaw, a 64-year-old congregant of Rodef Shalom synagogue in Pittsburgh’s East End, had similar thoughts.
“I feel scared and sad that this happened and it makes it even worse that the guy who did it said that, if [Governor] Shapiro had confronted him, he was going to beat him over the head with a sledgehammer,” Jan Shaw, a 64-year-old congregant of Rodef Shalom synagogue, said.
Ms. Shaw, of O’Hara, also criticized President Trump’s response. Vice President JD Vance condemned the attack, but as of Monday afternoon, Trump hadn’t responded.
“What’s even worse is Trump hasn’t even reached out to Governor Shapiro to tell him how sorry he is. If he really claims he’s against antisemitism and he’s fighting antisemitism, I think that would be a place to start.”
— Jacob Geanous
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1:59 p.m.
Balmer’s social media presence lacks clear ideology
The online trail that Balmer left behind defies easy categorization or a clear ideology.
Some of his posts on Facebook rail against police and political figures, while expressing frustration with a broader economic order that leaves people like him behind.
In one social media post, he criticized the price of gas under former President Joe Biden — and also rips into former President Donald Trump, saying the price at the pump was just as bad under his first term.
“I don’t play favorites, especially since they all suck,” Balmer wrote in March 2021.
That same month, he posted an image of himself holding a blowtorch in a way that made it appear he was breathing fire. Overlaying the photo, he wrote, “Joe Biden owes me 2 grand.”
In several posts, Balmer was critical of law enforcement, including the case of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who was shot and killed by police in 2020 while they carried out a search warrant at her home in Louisville, Ky.
A year earlier, he posted a meme ripping law enforcement’s response to the Native American protests over the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
“Natives were being mauled by dogs, run over, and terrorized while protecting clean water,” the meme said.
In a 2011 post, he appeared on his Facebook pointing a semi-automatic handgun directly at the camera and in another post, a picture of a .12-gauge, pump-action shotgun lying on a stained mattress.
Though Balmer was active on the platform for more than a decade, the posts appear to drop off.
The most recent was in June 2023: a reposted video accusing the media of using the Titan submersible disaster to distract from a House impeachment vote against Mr. Biden and U.S. aid to Ukraine.
— Jimmy Cloutier, Mike Wereschagin and Michael D. Sallah
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1:25 p.m.
Local business owners said they knew Balmer as a child
Lee and Donna Zimmerman, longtime co-owners of Zimmerman's, a candy and nuts shop in Penbrook dating to 1915, said they knew Balmer since he was a young kid.
They said they were aware of potential mental health issues, but were greatly saddened when they heard the news about Balmer being charged.
Cody and his family grew up on Banks Street, a road that runs a block down from the candy shop.
"Sometimes people take lefts, they take rights, or they come to a Y in the road" and make bad decisions, Donna said of the recent news.
Balmer’s most recent address was listed as 2741 Boas St. Sheraz Khurram, whose name is on the property deed for 2741 Boas St., confirmed the property is managed by his brother-in-law Adnan Usman, who screens possible tenants.
Mr. Usman declined to comment when reached by phone Monday afternoon.
— Steve Bohnel and Megan Tomasic
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12:18 p.m.
Fire chief says closed door might have saved Shapiro, family
Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said late Monday morning that the happenstance of a closed door might have saved Mr. Shapiro and his family from the fire set at the governor’s mansion early Sunday morning.
The chief said a set of closed doors between the main ballroom and the rest of the home kept the flames — which police say were started by at least two Molotov cocktails — 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.”
The governor’s residence, built in 1968, is not required by city code to have a fire suppression system, the chief said. The department has never run any drills at the massive complex.
Chief Enterline said he and his crew immediately noticed that something was off — that what they saw didn’t match up with the way that fires normally travel. In this case, he said, it was a single burned up chair with nothing else around it.
“When things you see don’t equal what should have happened in a fire, that’s when those arson tentacles start to pop up,” he said.
— Megan Guza
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12:11 p.m.
Neighbor, mother said Balmer had mental health issues
The Penbrook neighborhood where Balmer had lived was quiet on Monday morning. Dawn Reed, 48, lives next door to where Balmer was once living in a condemned house on the 2400 block of Canby Street in Penbrook. She said that she hadn't seen Balmer since she moved in, in September.
Another nearby neighbor who declined to be named said they had seen Balmer living out of the house in prior months. They said he had mental health issues and probably had not been taking his medication for six or so months.
"He had needed help for a while," that neighbor said.
His mother, Christie Balmer, told the Associated Press that her son had bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
“He wasn’t taking his medicine, and that’s all I want to say,” she told the Associated Press.
— Steve Bohnel
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11:58 a.m.
Butler Rep. Mike Kelly issues statement
Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Butler, who co-chaired the bipartisan House task force that investigated the Trump assassination attempt in Butler, said in a statement Monday that “political violence is unacceptable in any form.”
“My thoughts are with Governor Shapiro and his family as they continue to observe Passover,” he added. “I’m relieved to learn a suspect is in custody.”
— Benjamin Kail
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10:58 a.m.
Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania condemns attack on Shapiro
The board of Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania on Monday condemned the attack on Mr. Shapiro and his family.
Mr. Shapiro and his family had celebrated the first night of Passover at the residence Saturday.
“It is particularly concerning that the arsonist struck only hours after the governor and his family celebrated the Passover holiday in the residence,” Jill Zipin, chair of DJOP, said in a statement shared with the Post-Gazette. “There should be no room in our nation for the kind of hatred and extreme violence that this attack represents. It is unfortunate that those who vilify their political opponents have created an environment that encourages such attacks. We hope that all of our elected officials will join us in condemning this cowardly and potentially disastrous arson attack on Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family.”
— Benjamin Kail
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10:39 a.m.
Harrisburg auto shop where Balmer worked releases statement
Kindermans Auto Repair, a Harrisburg auto shop referenced several times on Balmer’s Facebook page, appeared to reference the incident on social media.
“In light of current events regarding a former employee of ours, we would like to say that he has not worked for us for over two years. While we are saddened to learn of these current charges, we fully support our men and women in law enforcement as well as our government officials. We have no further comment at this time.”
— Megan Guza
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10:30 a.m.
Suspect hospitalized
State police said in a release shortly before 10 a.m. that Balmer was hospitalized for an unspecified medical condition.
“Due to a medical event not connected to this incident or his arrest, Balmer was transported to an area hospital where he is currently receiving treatment,” Sgt. Logan Brouse said in a statement. “He remains under PSP supervision and will be transported to the Dauphin County Prison for arraignment upon his release.”
— Megan Guza
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10:14 a.m.
Arraignment postponed
Arraignment for Balmer, originally scheduled for Monday at Dauphin County Prison, has been postponed, a Pennsylvania courts spokeswoman announced.
No reason was given, and a new date was not yet announced.
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10:05 a.m.
McCormick, Fetterman condemn attack on Shapiro
Sen. Dave McCormick, who last year applauded Mr. Shapiro’s response to the Trump assassination attempt in Butler, said he and his wife, Dina Powell McCormick, were relieved the governor and his family were safe.
“We commend Pennsylvania’s first responders and law enforcement officers for their swift actions in keeping everyone safe and containing the situation,” the Republican senator said in a post on X. “There is no room in America or our Commonwealth for lawlessness, violence, and hatred, and such acts must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
After severe damage to the governor’s residence was revealed, Mr. McCormick added: “The horrific attack against [Mr. Shapiro] and his family is terrible. This type of violence cannot be tolerated and the criminals responsible must be prosecuted for these deplorable actions.”
Sen. John Fetterman, seen as a Democratic rival to Mr. Shapiro as both have risen to higher office, called the attack “truly appalling” in a social media post.
“Profoundly grateful that [Mr. Shapiro] and his family are unharmed, and grateful for the police and first responders for their quick actions,” Mr. Fetterman added. “Whoever did this must be held to the fullest extent of the law.”
More from Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation
— Benjamin Kail
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9:20 a.m.
Scene outside the mansion
The governor's mansion, between the busy North Front Street along the Susquehanna River and North 2nd Street, was quiet around 8:45 a.m. Monday.
Local and national TV crews were set up around the mansion, with some reporters doing live shots.
Police tape was still up near the southern border of the mansion property, blocking off Geiger Street between Front and 2nd streets next to an office park.
— Steve Bohnel
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9:05 a.m.
Arraignment details
Balmer will be arraigned in the central court at Dauphin County Prison, a Pennsylvania courts spokeswoman said.
District Judge Paul Zozos will preside.
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7:52 a.m.
Shapiro: ‘This type of violence is not OK’
"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."
Deputy State Police Commissioner George Bivens said Balmer “was very methodical in his approach and moved through it without a lot of hurry."
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.
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.
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.”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said he joined “all Pennsylvanians in praying for the Shapiro family following this criminal act.”
First Published: April 14, 2025, 12:19 p.m.
Updated: April 15, 2025, 7:57 p.m.
