The exterior of the governor's residence after police say a fire was intentionally set on April 13, 2025.
Jordan Wilkie / WITF
Suspect in Pa. governor’s residence arson denied bail
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Rachel McDevitt/StateImpact Pennsylvania
Jordan Wilkie / WITF
The exterior of the governor's residence after police say a fire was intentionally set on April 13, 2025.
Update:
The Harrisburg man who allegedly set fire to Pennsylvania governor’s residence has been denied bail.
Cody Balmer, 38, was arraigned Monday afternoon on six felony charges and two misdemeanors, including attempted homicide, aggravated assault, and terrorism.
Balmer was led into the courtroom with shackles around his wrists and ankles. Police said he had been in the hospital earlier in the day for reasons unrelated to the arson or his arrest.
He calmly told Magisterial District Judge Dale Klein he understood the charges against him.
Balmer’s mother told the Associated Press her son had mental health issues. But, when Dale asked if he had a history of mental illness, he said, “That’s the rumor, but no.”
Balmer told the judge he previously worked as a welder but has recently been unemployed and living with his parents in Harrisburg. He said he has “a lot” of children, but asked that information about them be kept private.
He faces a charge of simple assault unrelated to the arson and was scheduled to have a court date on Wednesday.
Klein said while she appreciates that Balmer turned himself in, she denied his bail for the safety of the public and himself.
The motive behind the arson is still unknown, though police said Balmer told them he hated Governor Josh Shapiro.
Originally reported:
The man accused of setting fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s residence was in the hospital on Monday, Pennsylvania State Police said, delaying his arraignment on charges of attempted homicide, arson, and terrorism.
Pennsylvania State Police say Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, was hospitalized due to a medical event not connected to the incident or his arrest.
Dauphin County District Attorney's Office
Cody Balmer of Harrisburg is charged with setting fire to the governor’s residence on Sunday, April 13, 2025.
According to the criminal complaint, Balmer hopped the eight-foot tall wrought iron fence surrounding Gov. Josh Shapiro’s official residence in Harrisburg in the early morning hours on Sunday. He broke in through a window with a hammer and set fire to the dining room using beer bottles filled with gasoline before fleeing. Balmer’s actions on the property were caught on security video and lasted only a few minutes, according to police.
The Dauphin County District Attorney’s office is handling the case. State police are investigating and reviewing security measures around the governor’s residence.
District Attorney Fran Chardo said the Federal Bureau of Investigation is involved and a U.S. Attorney will review the case for potential federal charges as well.
During a news conference Sunday, Shapiro said he was alerted to the break-in and fire by a state trooper banging on his door around 2 a.m.
The governor, his wife and children, and other visiting family members were all safely evacuated.
Balmer turned himself in to police on Sunday, according to the criminal complaint. A motive hasn’t been revealed.
Shapiro condemned the arson, saying this kind of violence is becoming “far too common.”
Shapiro and his family had hosted Seder for the first night of Passover on Saturday. He denounced the possible connection to his faith.
He said the story of Passover is one of moving from slavery to freedom.
“I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that someone attempts to put on me by attacking us as they did here last night,” Shapiro said. “I refuse to let anyone who had evil intentions like that stop me from doing the work that I love, stop me from being a leader of this commonwealth and looking out for all Pennsylvanians.”
In an interview with state police, Balmer said he hates Shapiro, according to the criminal complaint.
Balmer told police he filled Heineken bottles with gasoline from a lawn mower to make Molotov cocktails and walked for an hour from his home to the governor’s residence so he could throw the homemade bombs into Shapiro’s home.
When police asked Balmer what he would have done if caught by Shapiro, Balmer said he would have beaten Shapiro with his hammer, according to the complaint.
Police found clothing in Balmer’s home that matched what was seen in the security video, as well as the hammer.
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