Arson attack probe at Pennsylvania governor's mansion looking into
suspect's hatred of Josh Shapiro
[April 17, 2025]
By MARK SCOLFORO and JOHN SEEWER
HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) — Authorities investigating why a man set fire to
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s official residence are probing whether
the suspect was motivated by the Democrat's Jewish faith or positions on
Israel’s war in Gaza.
Police have said that Cody Balmer of Harrisburg harbored hatred toward
Shapiro. Several search warrants released Wednesday offer the first
details about a potential motive for the arson attack early Sunday in a
room where only hours earlier Shapiro and his family celebrated Passover
with members of the Jewish community.
Balmer called 911 less than an hour after the fire erupted, promised a
confession and talked about Palestinians being killed, police wrote in
search warrants.
Exactly what the man was trying to say and who he was referencing isn’t
clear from the partial quotations included in the search warrants.
Police quoted Balmer as saying “our people have been put through too
much by that monster” and Shapiro “needs to know that he will not take
part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people.”
During a police interview after turning himself in, Balmer “admitted to
harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro,” according to a police
affidavit that did not expand on that point. Police obtained search
warrants for Balmer’s electronic devices and a storage locker seeking
any writings or notes that contain “the name of Josh Shapiro (or a)
reference to Palestine, Gaza, Israel or the current conflict in Gaza.”
Shapiro declined to talk about a motive (backslash)Wednesday, saying
prosecutors will ultimately determine what prompted the attack. “It’s
not for me to answer that,” he said.
The governor has been publicly critical of Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu's government and the nature of Israel’s military
action in Gaza, but also has backed the country's right to defend itself
from Hamas.
Balmer, 38, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder but did not believe the
assessment, his brother, Dan Balmer, told The Associated Press. He said
he twice helped Cody get treatment at the Pennsylvania Psychiatric
Institute.
In court on Monday, Balmer denied having any mental illness and
described himself as an unemployed welder with no income or savings. A
judge denied bail and ordered him held on charges including attempted
homicide, terrorism and arson. He did not enter a plea.
Dauphin County chief public defender Mary Klatt said in a statement that
a preliminary hearing would be delayed “for the purpose of determining
his competency to stand trial” and that Balmer will be represented by a
team of attorneys “due to the complexity of this case.”
“The allegations, if true, demonstrate the devastating consequences of
severe mental illness," Klatt said.
[to top of second column]
|
This image provided by Commonwealth Media Services shows damage
after a fire at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion while Democratic
Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept inside on Sunday, April 13,
2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (Commonwealth Media Services via AP)
Balmer told police he planned to beat Shapiro with a small
sledgehammer if he encountered him after breaking into the building,
according to court documents filed in this latest case of violence
against political figures in the U.S.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said she spoke with Shapiro. She
described the arson as “absolutely horrific” and said she believes
the alleged culprit “wanted to kill him.”
Federal authorities are working with state law enforcement and doing
“anything we can to help convict the person who did this,” she
added.
State police announced that an independent, third-party expert will
assess risks and vulnerability of the governor’s official residence.
Shapiro said steps will be taken to strengthen safety systems while
adding he has faith in his security team and state police.
Dan Balmer said his brother had displayed concerning behavior,
including the night before the fire, when he flipped over a table at
the home where Cody Balmer lived with their parents.
A search warrant says he scaled a nearly 7-foot-high (2-meter-high)
security fence, eluded police, smashed a window with a hammer and
tossed a lit beer bottle filled with gasoline into the piano room.
Then, he broke a second window, climbed inside the state dining room
and remained inside for about a minute, lighting a second Molotov
cocktail before kicking open a door and fleeing, the warrant says.
Shapiro said he, his wife, their four children and another family
celebrated Passover on Saturday night and then were awakened by
state troopers pounding on their doors and forced to evacuate at
about 2 a.m. Firefighters extinguished the fire and no one was
injured.
The governor said he and his wife have had many conversations with
their children since the attack.
“It’s very hard as a parent, to answer to children, like why does
this stuff happen,” he said. “Why are there people out there that
want to do harm to others? Those are hard questions to answer for
kids.”
___
Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Bruce
Shipkowski in Toms River, New Jersey, and Eric Tucker in Washington
contributed.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
