Arson

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Suspect arrested after arson at Pennsylvania governor’s house forced Shapiro and family to evacuate

A 38-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an arson at the Pennsylvania governor’s house as the governor and his family slept inside.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/13/us/pennsylvania-governor-josh-shapiro-arson/index.html?

Pennsylvania arson

Police have arrested a suspect in connection with an arson attack on the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion in Harrisburg. Over the weekend, someone jumped the iron fence surrounding the property, “forcibly entered” the building and set it on fire before fleeing. As Pennsylvania State Police were searching for the arsonist, troopers woke Gov. Josh Shapiro around 2 a.m. so that he, his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family could be evacuated. Although no one was injured, parts of the building were devastated by the blaze. A motive for the attack is not yet known. Police arrested Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, about 12 hours later. Dauphin County's district attorney said he plans to charge Balmer with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault against an enumerated person. On Saturday night, the first night of Passover, Shapiro posted a photo on social media of the family’s Seder dinner. The fire was set in the same room where the dinner was held, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

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⚖️ Governor's mansion arson arrest

Damaged furniture inside the Pennsylvania governor's mansion after an arson fire early Sunday. Photo: State of Pennsylvania A suspect was arrested over a fire at the Pennsylvania governor's mansion that forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to evacuate early yesterday morning, Axios' Avery Lotz writes. The suspect was found with "homemade" incendiary devices, the Pennsylvania State Police said. Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, will face charges including attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault against an enumerated person. Balmer allegedly jumped the fence and evaded Shapiro's protection detail before breaking into the residence. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks during a press conference outside the governor's mansion yesterday. Photo: Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images Shapiro and his family, who were in a different part of the building, were evacuated safely. But the fire caused "a significant amount of damage" to a portion of the residence, Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement. Shapiro noted at a briefing last night that his family, friends and community members had gathered hours before the incident to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover. Get the latest.

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Pennsylvania arson

Authorities are attempting to determine how a suspect was able to enter the governor’s residence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and set it on fire over the weekend without being apprehended. “This individual was able to easily defeat multiple layers of defense,” Jonathan Wackrow, a former US Secret Service agent and security consultant, told CNN. “First, starting with the perimeter fencing, then the electronic surveillance and detection system, gaining access into the residence and then launching the attack — all while the state police that was providing the protective resource there was unable to locate him.” Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and another family were safely evacuated from the home, which sustained a “significant amount of damage” in the blaze. A security review of the incident is now underway. On Monday, authorities charged Cody Balmer, 38, with attempted homicide, aggravated arson, terrorism and other crimes. He was denied bail. A motive for the attack is unknown at this time.

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Pennsylvania fire

A search warrant obtained by news site PennLive reportedly said that the man accused of setting fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s residence last weekend revealed his motives to 911 operators. Although CNN has not viewed the warrant, it was acknowledged by a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Courts. Cory Balmer allegedly told 911 operators he targeted Gov. Josh Shapiro in part because of his views on Israel’s war in Gaza. In the days before the arson attack, however, relatives of the 38-year-old auto mechanic reached out to police and mental health agencies asking for help. They said Balmer’s mental condition had dramatically deteriorated to the point where he was chewing on batteries and acting erratically — but were told he didn’t meet the standards for involuntary commitment and that there was nothing they could do. Balmer was charged on Monday with attempted homicide, aggravated arson, terrorism and other crimes.