A 38-year-old man arrested for allegedly setting fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion intended to assault Governor Josh Shapiro with a hammer had he encountered him inside, according to police reports.
Cody Balmer faced arraignment Monday evening on multiple serious charges including attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, aggravated assault, and burglary. The judge denied bail.
Investigators allege Balmer used homemade incendiary devices to ignite the blaze late Saturday night. Governor Shapiro, his wife, their four children, and residence staff all escaped without injury, though the official residence in Harrisburg sustained extensive damage.
Police documents state that Balmer walked approximately an hour from his home, climbed over a security fence, used a hammer to break windows, and started the fire around 1:30am Sunday. Pennsylvania State Police reported that Balmer confessed to creating Molotov cocktails using gasoline siphoned from a lawn mower and beer bottles.
The arrest affidavit indicates Balmer admitted to “harboring hatred” toward Shapiro. Though initially evading authorities, he later surrendered. A search of his residence uncovered clothing and a hammer matching items visible in surveillance footage from the governor’s mansion.
According to the police report, Balmer’s former girlfriend contacted authorities identifying him as responsible for the arson.
Pennsylvania officials stated Monday that Balmer was transported to a hospital for an unrelated medical issue following his arrest. His mother, Christie Balmer, said that her son struggled with mental illness and had recently discontinued his psychiatric medication, saying, “So he was mentally ill, went off his meds, and this is what happened.”
A social media account matching Balmer’s details contained posts criticizing both former President Biden and mocking Trump supporters. Military records confirm Balmer served in the US Army Reserve from 2004 to 2012.
During Sunday’s press conference, Shapiro expressed concern for his family while condemning political violence. “This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society,” the governor stated. “And I don’t give a damn if it’s coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another, or one particular person or another. It is not OK, and it has to stop.”
Shapiro, who is Jewish, noted his family had celebrated the first night of Passover just hours before the attack. The Democratic governor was previously considered a top contender to be Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 election before Minnesota Governor Tim Walz received the nomination. Shapiro remains frequently mentioned as a potential future presidential candidate.
The governor acknowledged that FBI Director Kash Patel promised “all the resources of the federal government” for the investigation. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised law enforcement’s quick response and expressed relief that “Governor Shapiro and his family are safe.”
The targeted residence is a 29,000-square-foot Georgian-style mansion built in 1968. Shapiro has served as Pennsylvania’s governor since 2023, following his tenure as the state’s attorney general.
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