WASHINGTON — The alleged arson attack on Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family at the governor’s residence in Harrisburg this past weekend sparked strong bipartisan condemnation and calls for an end to political violence from Pennsylvania’s representatives on Capitol Hill.
Sen. John Fetterman, seen as a Democratic rival as he and Mr. Shapiro have risen to higher office, called the attack “truly appalling” in a social media post Sunday night.
“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.”
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Levittown, thanked authorities for their response Monday and said the violence against Mr. Shapiro’s residence marked more than just a crime — it was an “attack on the principles that hold our democracy together.”
“Political violence has no place in America — against anyone, at any time, for any reason,” he said in a statement. “This must be condemned without hesitation, and the cowardly criminals responsible must face the full force of the law.”
Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, who has been charged with attempted homicide, arson and terrorism, told police after turning himself in that he harbored a hatred for the governor. He said he would have beaten Mr. Shapiro with a hammer if he had seen him during the attack.
Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Aspinwall, said on X that he was grateful that Mr. Shapiro and his family were safe “after this scary incident.”
“Violence can never be tolerated — huge thanks to all the first responders and law enforcement who rushed to help,” he said.
Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, also said she was relieved, calling the attack “horrific” and thanking first responders.
“There must a swift investigation,” she said.
Vice President JD Vance, the Republican former senator of neighboring Ohio, also condemned the attack in a post on X Sunday.
“Thanks be to God that Governor Shapiro and his family were unharmed in this attack,” he said. “Really disgusting violence, and I hope whoever did it is brought swiftly to justice.”
State police and the FBI are investigating the attack.
Balmer told police that he scaled the residence’s fence, dodging the 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 threw a homemade incendiary devices — Heineken beer bottles filled with gasoline — inside the home, according to a criminal complaint.
Authorities said Balmer was in the building for less than a minute, escaping back over the fence as State police searched the grounds.
Mr. Shapiro said Monday that his family had witnessed “the incredible bravery and excellence of our first responders.”
“The entire Shapiro family is eternally grateful for the Pennsylvania State police troopers who safely evacuated our family from danger, the firefighters who quickly put out the fire at the Governor’s Residence, and the law enforcement officials who’ve worked to investigate this attack,” he said.
The incident marks yet another high-profile security breach and potentially an attempt on the life of a political leader after a handful of attacks in recent years.
A 20-year-old Bethel Park shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, nearly assassinated President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler last July. Former firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed and Trump and two others were injured.
In 2023, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, was assaulted during a home invasion. And in 2020, several men were charged in connection with a domestic terrorism plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, also a Democrat.
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.”
Mr. Fitzpatrick said Americans must remember that “what unites us as a community — and as a country — will always be greater than anything that seeks to divide us. That is the strength of America. And together is the only way we move forward.”
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker, a Republican, also described the attack as a “despicable act of violence” in a statement shared with the Post-Gazette.
"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,” he said.
Jill Zipin, chair of the statewide political action committee Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania, said it is “particularly concerning that the arsonist struck only hours after the governor and his family celebrated the Passover holiday in the residence.”
“There should be no room in our nation for the kind of hatred and extreme violence that this attack represents,” she said. “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.”
First Published: April 14, 2025, 3:49 p.m.
Updated: April 15, 2025, 1:25 p.m.
