What we know about the arson at the Pa. governor’s mansion and the suspect accused of trying to kill Gov. Josh Shapiro

A Pennsylvania man is being charged with the attempted homicide of Gov. Josh Shapiro after allegedly intentionally setting fire to the governor’s official residence in Harrisburg early Sunday morning.

Shapiro and his family, who were in the house at the time of the fire along with a number of guests celebrating Passover, were not injured. The extent of the damage to the 29,000-square-foot mansion was unclear Monday.

Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, turned himself into authorities Sunday afternoon. Balmer admitted to “harboring a hatred” toward Shapiro, and told Pennsylvania State Police that if he had found the governor at the residence Sunday, he would have “beaten him with a hammer,” according to a criminal complaint.

Authorities allege that Balmer started three fires at the residence with homemade “Molotov cocktails,” including one in a room where Shapiro had celebrated a Passover Seder mere hours ahead of the incident, before fleeing on foot. Police said Monday that Balmer was taken to an area hospital “due to a medical event not connected to this incident nor his arrest,” and that his arraignment would be rescheduled.

Officials said Sunday that “all avenues” were being explored as to Balmer’s motive, including potential hate crimes. The criminal complaint filed Sunday did not detail whether the incident was in relation to the governor’s Judaism.

In emotional remarks Sunday, Shapiro said violence like that which Balmer is accused of is “becoming far too common in our society.”

“If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night, hear me on this: We celebrated our faith last night proudly and in a few hours we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover again proudly,” Shapiro said.

State police say that Balmer threw a Heineken beer bottle filled with gasoline into the piano room in a wing of the governor’s mansion after walking to the residence. He then allegedly went to the attached dining room, broke a window, entered the residence, and lit two more homemade incendiary devices before fleeing.

Officials said Sunday that Balmer cleared a fence on the property, and evaded police for several minutes before briefly entering the home and setting the fire.

It remains unclear how State Police, who maintain a 24/7 detail on Shapiro and additional security at the residence, allowed the suspect to enter the property. In an appearance on CNN Monday, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said it was “very, very concerning” that Balmer was able to enter the residence, adding that “every resource has to clearly go into identifying the facts of this case, what happened, how it happened, and making sure that we have the correct facts” as the investigation continues.

Shapiro, first lady Lori Shapiro, and their children evacuated the residence at about 2 a.m. Sunday. Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline told reporters Monday that had a key door in the stately home not been closed, the fire would have “definitely spread” down a hallway and up to the main staircase to the second floor.

As many as 25 people were in the home at the time of the arson, Enterline said. Crews took roughly 30 minutes to get the blaze under control.

“He clearly had a plan,” Lt. Col. George Bivens, of the state police, said of Balmer. “He was very methodical in his approach, and moved through it without a lot of hurry.”

It was not immediately clear whether politics fueled Balmer’s apparent hatred for Shapiro. According to his voter registration record, Balmer was not affiliated with any political party, and his digital footprint did not obviously indicate his leanings.

Balmer billed himself as a “master mechanic” on his Facebook profile, which included posts about drug use, relationship troubles, and the struggles of parenting. He appears to have stopped publicly posting to the profile in summer 2023, but prior postings ran the political spectrum, with a focus on anti-government sentiment and memes that appeared to advocate for violent acts.

One image showed a crocheted Molotov cocktail with a message reading, “Be the light you want to see in the world.” Another showed a meme depicting a vintage still from the GI Joe cartoon declaring that “Knowing is half the battle, the other half is extreme violence.” Another image on Balmer’s Facebook profile showed him holding a pistol pointed at the camera.

A number of posts took swipes at former President Joe Biden. Balmer, however, rarely mentioned President Donald Trump on social media, writing in one 2021 post that he didn’t “play favorites especially since they all suck.” He appeared to show favor to former presidential candidates Andrew Yang, Tulsi Gabbard, and Ron Paul.

Public records indicate that, along with a string of traffic citations, Balmer at one point pleaded guilty to a scheme involving forged documents, which resulted in an 18-month probation sentence. In 2023, he was charged in connection with an assault, and that case is ongoing. A property where he was formerly registered to vote was put up for a foreclosure sale in 2022, and Balmer has been in court multiple times over custody battles involving his children — most recently in 2023.

That year, he appears to have left the employ of a Harrisburg auto-shop, which the owner said Monday was a “mutual” decision.

» READ MORE: Shapiro arsonist struggled with arrests, foreclosure – and left a violent trail online

Located at 2035 N. Front St. in Harrisburg, the current governor’s residence stands at two-and-a-half stories and was completed in 1968. It has been home to eight governors and their families, though they have used the private portion of the residence to varying degrees.

Shapiro and his family have lived in the home part-time since his inauguration, splitting time between Harrisburg and their home in Abington Township, Montgomery County. He frequently uses the residence to host meetings with lawmakers, including for budget negotiations that are slated to begin soon.

The residence includes eight bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, and nine half bathrooms across 26,000 square feet of furnished living area, according to Dauphin County property records. Much of the mansion is used for public events, and it sees about 14,000 visitors a year, according to the state.

Some of the property is accessible to the public, including the home’s extensive art collection.

In 2023, at the start of his term, Shapiro spent about $100,000 in public funds to update the mansion, according to Lancaster Newspapers. A spokesperson for the governor said at the time that the updates — which included new appliances and furniture — were necessary because no one had lived there for about a decade, as former Gov. Tom Wolf elected to reside in his own home in York.

The state Department of General Services maintains the property, where 17 staffers were employed as of late 2023.

» READ MORE: What to know about Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion where an arsonist set fire

Staff writers Gillian McGoldrick, Anna Orso, Ximena Conde, and Ryan W. Briggs contributed to this article.

A Pennsylvania man is being charged with the attempted homicide of Gov. Josh Shapiro after allegedly intentionally setting fire to the governor’s official residence in Harrisburg early Sunday morning.

Shapiro and his family, who were in the house at the time of the fire along with a number of guests celebrating Passover, were not injured. The extent of the damage to the 29,000-square-foot mansion was unclear Monday.

Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, turned himself into authorities Sunday afternoon. Balmer admitted to “harboring a hatred” toward Shapiro, and told Pennsylvania State Police that if he had found the governor at the residence Sunday, he would have “beaten him with a hammer,” according to a criminal complaint.

Authorities allege that Balmer started three fires at the residence with homemade “Molotov cocktails,” including one in a room where Shapiro had celebrated a Passover Seder mere hours ahead of the incident, before fleeing on foot. Police said Monday that Balmer was taken to an area hospital “due to a medical event not connected to this incident nor his arrest,” and that his arraignment would be rescheduled.

Officials said Sunday that “all avenues” were being explored as to Balmer’s motive, including potential hate crimes. The criminal complaint filed Sunday did not detail whether the incident was in relation to the governor’s Judaism.

In emotional remarks Sunday, Shapiro said violence like that which Balmer is accused of is “becoming far too common in our society.”

“If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night, hear me on this: We celebrated our faith last night proudly and in a few hours we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover again proudly,” Shapiro said.

State police say that Balmer threw a Heineken beer bottle filled with gasoline into the piano room in a wing of the governor’s mansion after walking to the residence. He then allegedly went to the attached dining room, broke a window, entered the residence, and lit two more homemade incendiary devices before fleeing.

Officials said Sunday that Balmer cleared a fence on the property, and evaded police for several minutes before briefly entering the home and setting the fire. Images shared by police of the dining room show extensive damage, which Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said Monday could cost millions of dollars, given the building’s historic nature.

It remains unclear how State Police, who maintain a 24/7 detail on Shapiro and additional security at the residence, allowed the suspect to enter the property. In an appearance on CNN Monday, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said it was “very, very concerning” that Balmer was able to enter the residence, adding that “every resource has to clearly go into identifying the facts of this case, what happened, how it happened, and making sure that we have the correct facts” as the investigation continues.

Shapiro, first lady Lori Shapiro, and their children evacuated the residence at about 2 a.m. Sunday. Enterline told reporters Monday that had a key door in the stately home not been closed, the fire would have “definitely spread” down a hallway and up to the main staircase to the second floor.

As many as 25 people were in the home at the time of the arson, Enterline said. Crews took roughly 30 minutes to get the blaze under control.

The investigation is underway, and state police were collecting evidence Sunday with assistance from the FBI and other federal partners. No motive has yet been announced.

“He clearly had a plan,” Lt. Col. George Bivens, of the state police, said of Balmer. “He was very methodical in his approach, and moved through it without a lot of hurry.”

It was not immediately clear whether politics fueled Balmer’s apparent hatred for Shapiro. According to his voter registration record, Balmer was not affiliated with any political party, and his digital footprint did not obviously indicate his leanings.

Balmer billed himself as a “master mechanic” on his Facebook profile, which included posts about drug use, relationship troubles, and the struggles of parenting. He appears to have stopped publicly posting to the profile in summer 2023, but prior postings ran the political spectrum, with a focus on anti-government sentiment and memes that appeared to advocate for violent acts.

One image showed a crocheted Molotov cocktail with a message reading, “Be the light you want to see in the world.” Another showed a meme depicting a vintage still from the GI Joe cartoon declaring that “Knowing is half the battle, the other half is extreme violence.” Another image on Balmer’s Facebook profile showed him holding a pistol pointed at the camera.

A number of posts took swipes at former President Joe Biden. Balmer, however, rarely mentioned President Donald Trump on social media, writing in one 2021 post that he didn’t “play favorites especially since they all suck.” He appeared to show favor to former presidential candidates Andrew Yang, Tulsi Gabbard, and Ron Paul.

Public records indicate that, along with a string of traffic citations, Balmer at one point pleaded guilty to a scheme involving forged documents, which resulted in an 18-month probation sentence. In 2023, he was charged in connection with an assault, and that case remains ongoing. A property where he was formerly registered to vote was put up for a foreclosure sale in 2022, and Balmer has been in court multiple times over custody battles involving his children — most recently in 2023.

That year, he appears to have left the employ of a Harrisburg auto-shop, which the owner said Monday was a “mutual” decision.

Balmer’s mother, Christie, told The Associated Press her son has bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and had not been taking his medications. She told reporters she had tried to get him mental-health help in recent days to no avail. The Inquirer was not able to verify that information.

» READ MORE: Shapiro arsonist struggled with arrests, foreclosure – and left a violent trail online

The criminal complaint indicates that an “ex-paramour” called police and said that Balmer confessed his involvement to her, and wanted her to call police to turn him in. He later appeared at State Police headquarters and turned himself in Sunday afternoon.

Police have not charged Balmer with a hate crime in connection with the fire. But Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said during an appearance on CNN that if antisemitism did play a role, “it’s reprehensible, and anyone that would do that, they need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Located ate 2035 N. Front St. in Harrisburg, the current governor’s residence stands at two-and-a-half stories and was completed in 1968. It has been home to eight governors and their families, though they have used the private portion of the residence to varying degrees.

Shapiro and his family have lived in the home part-time since his inauguration, splitting time between Harrisburg and their home in Abington Township, Montgomery County. He frequently uses the residence to host meetings with lawmakers, including for budget negotiations that are slated to begin soon.

The residence includes eight bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, and nine half bathrooms across 26,000 square feet of furnished living area, according to Dauphin County property records. Much of the mansion is used for public events, and it sees about 14,000 visitors a year, according to the state.

Some of the property is accessible to the public, including the home’s extensive art collection. That collection includes permanent works and temporary exhibits, the latter of which currently features a collection of the state’s New Deal-era murals and post offices and another with photos by a Pittsburgh photographer on loan from the Carnegie Museum of Art.

In 2023, at the start of his term, Shapiro spent about $100,000 in public funds to update the mansion, according to Lancaster Newspapers. A spokesperson for the governor said at the time that the updates — which included new appliances and furniture — were necessary because no one had lived there for about a decade, as former Gov. Tom Wolf elected to reside in his own home in York.

The state Department of General Services maintains the property, where 17 staffers were employed as of late 2023.

» READ MORE: What to know about Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion where an arsonist set fire

Elected officials and former governors condemned the attack. Former Gov. Tom Ridge, a Republican and the nation’s first secretary of Homeland Security, said in a statement that images of the damage to the home were “heartbreaking.”

“All of us should feel safe in our homes,” he said, “especially when that home is our state’s official residence, which makes this particularly shocking.”

The Pennsylvania Republican Party likewise called the arson “shocking and troubling.” U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R., Pa.), who is considering a run against Shapiro in 2026, said on social media that the incident was “not just an attack on one family, it was an attack on the values we all share as Americans.”

During a visit to a dairy farm in Lebanon County Monday, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick said he had spoken to Shapiro earlier in the day Saturday, saying that the governor was “nervous because he was going to preside over an 80-person Seder” at the mansion.

“And less than 12 hours later, we have this,” McCormick added. “There’s no room in our society for violence, violence against public officials, and it’s a horrific thing.”

On Sunday evening, Vice President JD Vance condemned the “really disgusting violence” on X, writing: “Thanks be to God that Governor Shapiro and his family were unharmed in this attack.”

President Donald Trump briefly addressed the incident while speaking to reporters Monday afternoon in the Oval Office. When asked if he had been made aware of a potential motive, Trump said he had not, and added that “a thing like that cannot be allowed to happen.”

“The attacker was not a fan of Trump, I understand, just from what I’ve read and from what I’ve been told,” Trump said. “The attacker basically wasn’t a fan of anybody.”

Shapiro, meanwhile, said he and his family were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from across the country. When asked to reflect on the seriousness of the incident, Shapiro was brief.

“Honestly,” he said, “I just right now want to be a good father and a good husband and take care of my family.”

Staff writers Gillian McGoldrick, Anna Orso, Ximena Conde, and Ryan W. Briggs contributed to this article.