Around 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro and his family were woken up by a member of their security team banging on their door. Their home, the state-owned official governorâs residence, was on fire. A state trooper âtold us we had an emergency and needed to leave immediately,â Shapiro said at a press conference on Sunday. The cause was later determined to be an arson attack. The governor, his wife, children, and visiting family members were all safely evacuated from the home.
That same day, police arrested a man named Cody Balmer, who was charged with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, and other related offenses. According to The New York Times, Balmer admitted to starting the fire and said he harbored âhatred towards Governor Shapiro,â though officials have yet to share an official motive. In the Sunday news conferences, Shapiro condemned political violence against any party. Further, he and his family had hosted a Passover seder at the home the evening before and said that the attack would not discourage him from celebrating his faith. âNo one will deter me or my family or any Pennsylvanian from celebrating their faith openly and proudly,â he said.
A planned attack
According to surveillance footage, Balmer entered the home by breaking a window on the south side of the residence, then throwing a Molotov cocktail into the room. Balmer then broke a window on the east side, entered the house, and threw a second Molotov cocktail. Videos show the suspect walking through the house and kicking a door before existing the residence and climbing a gate that surrounds the property. The attack lasted just minutes, during which time Balmer successfully evaded security officials. According to an affidavit, Balmer then returned to his own home, where investigators later found a jacket and a bag with a sledgehammer that appeared identical to items seen on surveillance cameras.