Kyle Grantham
What do we know about the Arson attack, well let's find out.
A Harrisburg man was arrested by the Pennsylvania authorities, who they say broke into Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence early Sunday morning and set it on fire, while his family was asleep. His wife, Lori, his 4 children, his 2 dogs, and another family had to evacuate the Harrisburg residence, and it was confirmed that the fire completely damaged it. Luckily, nobody was injured.
A 38-year-old man named Cody Balmer turned himself in to the police and was charged with attempted murder, terrorism, arson, and many other charges involving the fires, which happened hours after Governor Shapiro and his family hosted a passover dinner. Balmer said he was very angry with Governor Josh Shapiro and would have beaten him with a hammer if he had confronted him. This was stated in an affidavit filed by the state police earlier on Monday morning.
When Shapiro was 51 years old, he was elected governor of Pennsylvania in 2022 after he spent 6 years as state Attorney General. As an
eminent liberal, Shapiro was one of many candidates that was considered for former vice president Kamala Harris as a running mate during her presidential bid in 2024 last year and will be floated as a prospective candidate in the 2028 presidential election.
The elected administrators have faced an outpouring of violent threats in recent years, which also includes the kidnapping of Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan Governor, back in 2023, and two assassination attempts last year against President Donald Trump. On the other hand, officials say that Cody Balmer had hopped over the fence, which guards the residence, broke 2 windows with a hammer, climbed through one to get into the Shapiro’s home, where he established a “homemade combustible electronic” to start the fire.
George Bivens, Lt. Col. said that Balmer was inside the residence for less than 1 minute and immediately avoided the Pennsylvania State Police troops that were searching for him at the exact same time. Bivens went on to say, “he clearly had a plan and he was very orderly in his approach.” On the authority of the affidavit reported on CNN, after starting the fires, Cody Balmer kicked the dining room door down and just bolted out of the crime scene.
According to audio that was recorded by the Dauphin County Fire and the EMS Scanner that was secured by CNN, a caller who reported to emergency services said “large fire on the first floor” of Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence, and they were able to “see fire out the windows.”
It was reported by Shapiro’s reporter that all of a sudden the family woke up around 2 AM by hearing some loud banging on the door from 1 of the state troopers and were assigned to their detail of alerting them about the flames. On the authority of the state police, it was said that the Harrisburg Bureau responded around 2 in the morning, and they dampened down the fires. Bivens said that the security review is now underway, “ in being able to confirm how we can certify that we don’t have a repeat collision like this ever.”
After Balmer bolted out of the crime scene, a random woman who identified herself as an ex-partner also called the police to say that Balmer attempted to start the flames, which was stated in the affidavit. Authorities have stated that Balmer has turned himself in to the police headquarters. The affidavit also stated that Cody told the police that he detached the gasoline from a lawn mower and suddenly poured it into beer bottles to make some type of Molotov Cocktails, which he threw in Governor Shapiro’s home.
On the authority of the affidavit, it was stated that Balmer confessed to “harboring detestation” towards Josh, saying if Shapiro had found him hiding inside of his house, he would have the audacity to beat him with a hammer. It was confirmed by a document saying the police were talking, and they say that Balmer said he knew it was possible that Josh Shapiro and the others were home at the time of his actions.
We got information that CNN has reached out to the attorney to represent Cody Balmer in that case, and according to state court records, Cody Balmer’s arrest comes back before he is anticipated in court to appeal a hearing in an unconnected case that is stemming from a simple assault charge from 2023. Court documents show that in another case, Cody was found guilty back in 2016 on counterfeiting the document and theft by cunning charges.
The agency emailed and told CNN that Balmer might face federal charges, as it was confirmed by the district attorney, the FBI’s Philadelphia field office is working with state police in its investigation. The state police said that the fire has caused a “noteworthy amount of damage” to Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence in Harrisburg, PA.
The ceiling and walls are completely thrashed, also with floors covered with ash, and the furniture completely destroyed, as shown in photos. There are remains of the Passover Dinner that the governor Shapiro hosted on Saturday last week and also including a “Passover Crafts” sign. It was confirmed by the Pennsylvania government that Governor Shapiro’s residence is a 29,000 ft Georgian-style building that is by the Susquehanna River and has been home to 8 governors and their families since it was finished 57 years ago.
The first floor of the house has both very short-term and permanent art exhibits. At a news conference on Sunday,
it was said by Josh that the flames were just an attack not only on his family, but on “the entire commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” U.S. Senator and Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman described it as “truly tempting” how he expressed regard for the messages of support and prayers he and opinions he and his family have received, and also including from many politicians. JD Vance, Vice President, and a Republican, had called the attack, but it was a lot of nasty violence. Josh Shapiro choked up and said, “I want you all to know that your prayers lift us up, and in this moment of darkness, we’re choosing to see light.”
Josh criticized both of the political sides.
Shapiro said that “this type of violence is uncalled for” as he raised his voice. “We have to be better than,” Shapiro said, he will not be associating with these gruesome attacks. “If this individual was trying to discourage me from doing my work as your governor, I, rest assured, I will find a way to work even harder than I was.” Governor Shapiro also called attention to his pride in his Jewish faith.