Gov. Josh Shapiro's torched residence had no fire suppression system
Shapiro and his family were inside the residence when the attack occurred.
The man accused in the April 13 arson attack on the Harrisburg residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was being held without bail while authorities try to determine what prompted him to ignite the devastating blaze while the Shapiro family slept inside.
The fire severely damaged a reception area where Shapiro hosted a Passover dinner hours earlier. Authorities say the historic, 29,000 square-foot residence had no fire suppression sprinklers.
Cody Balmer, who turned himself in to police after the attack, told Dauphin County Magisterial District Judge Dale Klein at a hearing April 14 he had charges pending in another case and was uncertain of his probationary status. Balmer said he was living at his parents’ home for the past year and had most recently worked as a welder but had no income or savings.
Klein ordered Balmer held for his own safety and the safety of the community. Balmer, 38, is due back in court April 23 for a preliminary hearing on charges that include attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary and terrorism.
Balmer told investigators he was "harboring hatred" toward Shapiro, according to a probable cause affidavit. After his arrest, Balmer was being treated at a hospital following "a medical event not connected" to the attack, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Shapiro, his wife, Lori, their four children and another family were in another part of the residence when the fire was ignited. They escaped unharmed after being awakened by State Police.
Blaze could have been much worse, fire chief says
The residence is a Georgian Style home designed by architect George Ewing and completed in 1968, according to the state website. The residence has served as a home to eight governors and their families, at least to varying degrees. The Shapiro family also has a home in suburban Philadelphia. Shapiro's predecessor, two-term Gov Tom Wolf, seldom stayed at the residence.
Authorities say Balmer scaled a fence south of the residence, broke windows and hurled lit bottles of gasoline into the house. Photos from the scene show the reception area, including a dining space and music room, was devastated by the blaze.
Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said damage to the sprawling residence could have been far worse had a door leading from the reception area of the home not been closed. Enterline said the residence, built in 1968, had no fire suppression sprinkler system. He estimated repairs could cost "millions of dollars" in part because of the historic nature of the residence.
It's not the first time the residence has been severely damaged. In 1972, Gov. Milton Shapp and his family were forced to evacuate after Hurricane Agnes overwhelmed the building with 5 feet of water. The restoration took nearly two years to complete.
Jewish Coalition cites 'pain for our community'
The Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition, along with other Jewish groups, issued a statement of support for Shapiro. The statement noted that authorities say Balmar expressed "hatred" for Shapiro, political resentment and economic frustrations. The statement also cited a rise in antisemitic attacks in recent years.
"While the investigation continues, the convergence of these factors, especially given the long history of antisemitic pogroms on the Passover holiday, raises serious concerns and pain for our community," the statement said. "Everyone has the right to worship freely, and our differences should not only be tolerated but embraced and celebrated.
Balmer started fires while troopers searched
Troopers were able to safely evacuate Shapiro's family and others in the mansion, but the fire raises the question of how Balmer was able to evade security. The Pennsylvania State Police is tasked with protecting the governor, lieutenant governor and their families under a special team called the Executive Services Office. Troopers were on duty the night of the fire, according to an affidavit for Balmer's arrest. Security cameras on the grounds caught much of the incident.
Balmer was able to carry out the attack even after state troopers knew there was an intruder, Police Lt. Col. George Bevins said.
"We knew that there had been a breach," Bevins told reporters. "While (troopers) were searching is when he attacked at the residence, broke in and set the fries. So that was all playing out over a period of several minutes. It was a very quick event." Read more here.
− Jeanine Santucci
Woman notified police before Balmer surrendered
A woman contacted Harrisburg police and said her ex-partner, Balmer, ignited the blaze, according to the probable cause affidavit. A short time later, Balmer approached a trooper outside Pennsylvania State Police headquarters and said he was turning himself in.
Balmer, when asked what he would have done if he encountered Shapiro in the home, told investigators "he would have beaten him with his hammer," according to the affidavit.
Who is Josh Shapiro?
Shapiro, Pennsylvania's third Jewish governor, has been a focal point of criticism from some pro-Palestinian groups for his staunch support of Israeli during its army's unrelenting assault on Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
Shapiro, 51, is one of the most well-known Democratic governors in the country. He fielded questions about a future run for president after reports that he was on the short list to run as Kamala Harris' vice president in the 2024 election.
Shapiro served as the state's attorney general from 2017 to 2023, chair of the Board of Commissioners in Montgomery County from 2011 to 2017 and as a state representative from 2005 to 2011.
Suspect's mother says son has mental health challenges
Balmer's mother told several news outlets that her son struggles with his mental health and that she had recently tried to get him assistance.
“He wasn’t taking his medicine, and that’s all I want to say,” Christie Balmer told the Associated Press from the family home in Harrisburg.
CBS News quoted Balmer's mother as saying her son "was mentally ill" and "went off his meds."
How the suspect entered the Shapiro residence
According to an affidavit, the suspect was seen on video footage "surveilling the residence" before climbing over a fence parallel to a street on the south side of the property. Balmer is accused of scaling a fence south of the mansion, breaking windows in an area identified as a piano room and hurling bottles of gasoline into the house, causing the fire. Authorities say he then broke another window and entered the dining room and set that room ablaze before fleeing.
Most of the damage was contained to the south end of the mansion in the piano room and dining room. The affidavit describes "significant fire damage" caused by "incendiary devices" identified as Heineken-brand beer bottles filled with gasoline, the broken remnants of which were recovered at the scene.