The suspect was arrested in the alleged arson at the residence of the Governor of Pennsylvania Shapiro: DA
A suspect was detained in connection with a fire last night at the governor’s residence at Pennsylvania which was being investigated as a fire, the Pennsylvania state police announced during a press conference on Sunday.
Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were in the residence at the time of the fire, which was reported around 2 am ET. They were evacuated safely and were not injured, according to the State Police.
The suspect was identified as a 38 -year -old Cody Balmer, from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County Da Fran Chardo during a press conference.
The investigator was at the scene after the fire last night at the governor’s official residence on Sunday, April 13, 2025 in Harrisburg, PA. (AP/Marc Levy Photo)
Marc Levy/AP
Chardo said the accusation, which will be submitted on Sunday, will include attempted murder, terrorism, exacerbated burning and the exacerbated attack on the person mentioned.
Shapiro said during the press conference that the attack was “targeted.”
“We know that this attack is targeted … This type of violence is not good,” said the Governor. “And I don’t care if it comes from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another,” he added.
A senior law enforcement official who was given a briefing about the investigation told ABC News, the previous week that the authorities were looking for whether the attack could be triggered by the fact that Governor Shapiro was a Jew and a fire was determined on the first night of Easter.
Only a few hours before the fire, Governor of Pennsylvania posted A picture of a simple table of his family Easter on X, wrote, “From the simple table of the Shapiro family to yours, a happy Easter and chag Pesach Sameach!”
Shapiro discussed the motives that might have been during the conference, saying about the suspect, “If he tries to terrorize my family, my friends … listen to me about this, we celebrate our faith proudly, no one will prevent me from celebrating my faith openly and proudly.”
Governor Josh Shapiro spoke during a press conference regarding the shooting at the UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, PA. On Saturday, February 22, 2025. (Photo AP/Matt Rourke, File)
Matt Rourke/AP
Pennsylvania State Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens detailed the alleged attack, said that the suspect came to the fence and actively avoided the police when they were looking for it in the property.
When they were looking for, the suspect entered and lighting the fire, according to Bivens, who said the incident occurred “for several minutes.”
Previously on Sunday, Shapiro said in a statement, “My family and I woke up at the bangs at the door of the Pennsylvania State Police after a burning perpetrator burned to the governor’s residence in Harrisburg. The Harrisburg City Police Bureau.
“Thank God no one was injured and the fire went out,” he added.
The state police said that while the investigation continued, “State Police are ready to say at this time that this is an act of arson.”
The fire caused a large amount of damage “to the residence, according to the State Police.
Shapiro was elected as Governor of Pennsylvania in 2022 and was considered a vice president for 2024 Democratic presidential candidates Kamala Harris before he finally chose the Governor of Minnesota Team Walz. Shapiro served two term of office as the State Attorney General before being elected as Governor.
