An individual has been detained and charged with setting fire to the residence of a Democratic governor.
Officials have confirmed that over the weekend, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s Harrisburg home was allegedly targeted in an arson attack.
Law enforcement officials stated that they suspect the individual climbed a seven-foot wall, entered the mansion, and used a homemade incendiary device to significantly damage part of the house early on Sunday morning (April 13).
Fortunately, no one was injured, as Shapiro’s family and their guests were safely evacuated after police alerted them by knocking on their door around 2 am.
Just hours before the incident, those present in the home had been celebrating the first day of Passover.
The suspect was apprehended later that day and identified as 38-year-old Cody Balmer from Harrisburg.
Authorities have charged him with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, and aggravated assault.
Balmer reportedly provided a troubling motive for his alleged arson attempt during police questioning.
Court documents claim that the suspect ‘confessed to harboring hatred towards Gov. Shapiro’ before allegedly throwing two homemade Molotov cocktails into the governor’s residence.
According to documents viewed by NBC Philadelphia, Balmer admitted he was aware of the ‘possibility’ that Shapiro and his family were home and could have been seriously harmed in the blaze.
The documents continue: “Balmer was asked specifically what he would have done if Governor Shapiro found him inside of his residence, to which he advised he would have beaten him with his hammer.”
The court documents also reveal that Balmer was captured on CCTV outside the property, wearing a black jacket, black boots, mismatched gloves—one orange and one yellow—and carrying a bag. He was seen approaching a piano room at the house and allegedly threw a homemade incendiary device through a broken window.
At a press conference on Sunday, the Pennsylvania Governor firmly declared his stance against such actions.
Shapiro stated: “I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that someone attempts to put on me by attacking us as they did here last night. I refuse to let anyone who had evil intentions like that stop me from doing the work that I love.”
“But we do know a few truths. First: This type of violence is not OK. This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society. 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. We have to be better than this.”