Warrant says arson suspect targeted Gov. Josh Shapiro over views on Israel-Hamas conflict
Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, has risen to prominence as an outspoken Democratic governor in his support of Israel.
The suspect charged with setting fire at the Pennsylvania governor's residence allegedly told a 911 operator he targeted Gov. Josh Shapiro because of his perceived stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to search warrants obtained by the Paste BN Network.
Cody A. Balmer, 38, is facing charges that include arson, attempted murder and others after authorities said he scaled a wall surrounding the Harrisburg mansion in the early morning hours of April 13, smashed windows and hurled Molotov cocktails inside to start the blaze before entering himself. Nobody was injured, but parts of the residence were severely damaged.
The search warrants for Balmer's electronic devices detail his "political motivation" for the attack. The warrants, provided by Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo, said Balmer called 911 less than an hour after he fled the residence, identified himself by name and told the operator that Shapiro needs to know he "will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people."
Balmer also allegedly said, "he needs to stop having my friends killed" and "our people have been put through too much by that monster."
"You all know where to find me. I'm not hiding, and I will confess to everything that I had done," Balmer told the 911 operator, according to the warrants.
Shapiro has risen to prominence as an outspoken Democratic governor and supporter of Israel. He was also reportedly shortlisted as a potential running mate for Kamala Harris' 2024 campaign against President Donald Trump. His family hosted a Passover celebration hours before the attack.
Shapiro told reporters at a news conference on April 16 that regardless of the motivation for the crime, political violence must be condemned as unacceptable in our society.
"Nothing he could do would deter me from doing my job as governor. Nothing he could do would deter me from proudly and openly practicing my faith," Shapiro said.
Chardo, the district attorney, told NBC affiliate WGAL that he will use Balmer's alleged statement as evidence that Balmer targeted Shapiro because he is Jewish and that the arson was a hate crime.
The warrant said the 911 call was placed at 2:50 a.m. on April 13, less than an hour after the fire.
What happened the night of the fire?
Security footage at the residence showed the intruder scaling an exterior perimeter fence in the early morning hours of April 13, authorities said. He used a hammer to break a window in a piano room and threw a Molotov cocktail into the room, starting a fire. He then broke another window and used it to enter the room, igniting more fires once inside. He then kicked open the door and exited, climbing back over the fence.
After the attack, Harrisburg police were contacted by a woman who said her ex-partner, Balmer, was the perpetrator, according to his arrest affidavit. Balmer later approached Pennsylvania State Police headquarters and turned himself in, officials said.
Shapiro said that he was woken up at about 2 a.m. by troopers banging on his door and he and his family were successfully evacuated without any injury. The fire was under control within about half an hour, and photos of the aftermath show the piano room with significant fire and smoke damage.
"Luckily for the governor and his family, there were doors closed between that main portion of the ballroom and the hallway that leads to the main and master staircase going to the second floor," Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said in an April 14 news conference. "It would have been a totally different fire and a totally different outcome, most likely, had that door not been closed."
Balmer managed to evade state troopers assigned to protect the Shapiro family at the residence that night. According to Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens, troopers were aware of the breach and searching for an intruder as he made his way into the home. The whole incident happened quickly, Bivens said.
Suspect struggled with mental health, mother says
Balmer's mother, Christie Balmer, told news outlets, including the Associated Press, that her son struggled with mental health and she had 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.
She also told CBS News her son "was mentally ill" and "went off his meds."
During a hearing in which Balmer was denied bail, he told Dauphin County Magisterial District Judge Dale Klein he doesn’t have a history of drug or alcohol abuse. When she asked if he has mental health concerns, he said “that’s the rumor,” but denied having any diagnoses.
Who is Cody Balmer?
Balmer has a previous history of charges for assault, forgery and traffic violations in Pennsylvania, according to records reviewed by Paste BN. He received 18 months of probation for the forgery charge and has a pending assault charge.
In June 2023, Balmer and a woman split and filed a custody suit in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Balmer took primary custody of a 5- and 2-year-old, according to court documents. The woman did not immediately return messages seeking comment on April 14.
Posts on Balmer's social media appear to mock former President Joe Biden and criticize Trump alike.
Contributing: Christopher Cann, Nick Penzenstadler, Phaedra Trethan and Bethany Rodgers