A 38-year-old man is in custody over suspected arson at the Pennsylvania governor’s residence, with authorities investigating crimes including terrorism and attempted homicide, officials said Sunday.
Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris said Sunday during a press conference that 38-year-old Cody Balmer had been arrested over the fire, which Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) said woke up his family at 2 a.m. Sunday morning.
The fire did significant damage to a portion of the house.
Dauphin County District Attorney Francis Chardo also said during the press conference that charges against Balmer “will include attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault against an enumerated person.”
“These are all very serious charges, as with any charges, the defendant is presumed innocent,” Chardo added. “We will file those charges within the next several hours”
Shapiro also spoke during the press conference, saying “if this individual was trying to deter me from doing my job as your governor, rest assured, I will find a way to work even harder than I was just yesterday for the good people of Pennsylvania.”
Shapiro said in a previous post on the social platform X that earlier in the day, “my family and I woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg.”
“The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was on the scene and while they worked to put out the fire, we were evacuated from the Residence safely by Pennsylvania State Police and assisted by Capitol Police. Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished,” the governor added.
Others added their voices to a chorus of condemnation Sunday, including Debra Todd, chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
“My colleagues and I share the disbelief and outrage felt by all Pennsylvanians following the heinous attack on Governor Shapiro’s family at his residence last evening," she said on behalf of the court.
“Acts of violence targeting our communities, neighbors, first responders and public officials are a stark reminder of the need for us to come together to reject hate and stand in solidarity and support for the institutions that unite us as Pennsylvanians.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also issued a statement.
“My thoughts and prayers are with Governor Josh Shapiro and his family following the horrific arson attack on their residence," he said.
"Political violence of any kind is never acceptable and it is especially unconscionable to attack a Jewish family during the first night of Passover. Everyone responsible must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi applauded the arrest in a post on X Sunday evening.
"I am deeply relieved that Governor Shapiro and his family are safe, thankful for the first responders who arrived on the scene, and applaud the police work that resulted in an arrest just hours ago," she wrote.
Updated: 9:01 p.m.
