A 38 -year -old man faces criminal charges after allegedly breaking into the mansion of the governor of Pennsylvania in the middle of Sunday night and starting a fire that caused significant damage and forced Josh Shapiro and his dear family.
Firefighters in Harrisburg, the capital city of Pennsylvania, exluded the fire early in the morning, and no injuries were reported.
This is what we know about the attack and the suspect.
What happened?
Shapiro said in the early hours, around 2 am (06:00 GMT) on Sunday, a state soldier of his security details woke him up already his family hitting them and telling them that he needed to evacuate immediately.
The police was alerted that someone had climbed the fence and began to look on the land, but initially they could not find anyone.
According to the police, a man broke into the southern wing of the residence, entering a room commonly used to house guests and exhibit works of art. A fire supposedly began to use a homemade incendiary device.
According to the reports, the fire caused extensive damage: carbonizing the walls, tables, the dishes used by buffet, plates and a piano. The panels of the windows and the brick that surrounds doors and windows also darkened.
Police identified the suspect as Cody Balmer, resident of Harrisburg.
Last night at 2 in the morning, my family and I woke up with the coup in the state police of Pennsylvania after a incendiary fire lent fire to the residence of the governor in Harrisburg.
Harrisburg’s fire office was on the scene and while working to turn off the fire, we were …
– Governor Josh Shapiro (@Governorshapiro) April 13, 2025
Who is Cody Balmer?
The suspect, Balmer, 38, has faced several criminal charges, including simple assaults, theft and falsification, according to online judicial records. In 2016, he retreated a sentence of probation after science guilty of theft and falsification.
The authorities said he was in custody in Harrisburg on Sunday afternoon.
According to a CNN report, after Balmer fled, a woman who claims to be her ex -partner contacted the police and declared that she had confessed to start the fire.
After this, Balmer delivered at the police headquarters.
He admitted to the state soldiers that he had lit the fires and was accused of attempted murder, terrorism, fire and aggravated assault, authorities said. He is currently being held without bail in Dauphin County prison in Harrisburg.
Photos of the interior of the mansion of the governor of the governor of Pennsylvania after the police say that an artificial fire set fire to the house, while Governor Shapiro and his family slept around 2 in the morning.
Harrisburg Cody Balmer was arrested: planned charges include murder and terrorism attempt. pic.twitter.com/gwefc3b8qh– Brian Entin (@brianentin) April 13, 2025
How did Balmer get into the property?
According to the officials, he climbed a close of 7 feet (2.1 meters) that surrounds the residence of the governor and broke into the house before the fire.
Newsweek reported that Dauphin County District Prosecutor, Fran Chardo, said Balmer illegally entered the property, going crazy a window with a hammer. Then he has supposedly thrown a Molotov cocktail inside, “lighting a substantial fire inside.”
The authorities said Balmer was inside the residence for less than a minute before he escaped. He managed to “actively evade” the soldiers, who were simultaneously looking for the facilities, the authorities said.
Duration A press conference, Shapiro described the attack as “directed”, thought that the reason remains an uncle.
Shapiro said the fire was established in the room where he and his family had joined the members of the Jewish community of Harrisburg for a Easter Seder on Saturday night.
“We don’t know the individual’s exact reason,” said Shapiro, a Jew, said a duration press conference.
“But there are some things we know. First: this child of violence is unacceptable. It is also happening a lot or in our society. And, frankly, I don’t care that side, who points or what it does.
Last night at the Governor’s residence, we experience an attack not only in our family, but also throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
This type of violence has become too common in our society, and has to stop. pic.twitter.com/5HP5JSVGFC
– Governor Josh Shapiro (@Governorshapiro) April 13, 2025
Who is Josh Shapiro?
At 51, Shapiro is fulfilling his first term as governor of Pennsylvania, the fifth largest state in the nation and a key presidential battlefield. These factors have raised their profile within the Democratic Party and have positioned it as a potential contender for the White House in 2028.
Shapiro, a Jew, has publicly talked about his faith.
Since he assumed the position as governor, he has raised his eyebrows, particularly among progressive democrats, for denouncing pro-palestinian student protesters on university campuses.
Shapiro told us Polico publication last year: “I feel something unique to speak when I see this level of anti -Semitism on our campus and in our communities.”
Shapiro and his wife, Lori, have four children together: Sophia, Jonah, Max and Reuben.
The residence of the Governor of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg is a mansion of 29,000 square feet (2,694 squares of square meters) that is built in 1968, which has served as the home for governors to obtain.