HARRISBURG, Pa. — A man is facing attempted homicide charges after a fire set at the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to evacuate early Sunday morning.
During a press conference, Shapiro said Pennsylvania State Police troopers banged on his bedroom door while he was sleeping around 2 a.m. The governor, his wife, his children and a family staying with them evacuated safely as part of the residence was on fire. They were not injured.
PHOTOS: Police investigate ‘act of arson’ at Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence in Harrisburg
Investigators said the fire was started by an “act of arson.” Cody Balmer, 38, of Dauphin County, was taken into custody and is facing several charges, including attempted homicide, terrorism and aggravated arson. At an arraignment hearing on Monday afternoon, a judge denied Balmer bail.
As Balmer walked into the hearing, Channel 11 Chief Investigative Reporter Rick Earle questioned him.
“Cody, why did you hate the governor? Why do you hate the governor? tell me anything.”
Balmer stuck his tongue out in response to Earle’s questions.
During the hearing, Balmer denied having any mental health conditions. But, Channel 11 spoke with his mother earlier in the day, and she said Balmer has bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and possibly wasn’t taking his medication.
According to a criminal complaint, Balmer hopped a fence, broke a window and threw a Molotov cocktail inside. He then broke a second window, entered the residence and threw another Molotov cocktail.
Balmer turned himself in after confessing to his ex-girlfriend that he set the fire and told her to call police, according to investigators.
Balmer told police that he used gasoline from a lawn mower and poured it into Heineken bottles before walking an hour from his home to set the Governor’s Residence on fire.
The criminal complaint states that Balmer admitted to “harboring hatred” toward Shapiro, and he knew it was possible that people could have been injured by his actions. When police asked him if Shapiro would have found him inside the home, Balmer said he would have “beaten him with a hammer.”
State police said that after Balmer was in custody, they searched the home he was living in and found a Snap-on jacket with distinctive shoulder patches, which matched the same jacket seen in video surveillance. They said they also found a bag containing a gasoline container.
The flames were contained to the first floor, but PSP says it caused a “significant amount of damage” to part of the residence.
PHOTOS: Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence left scorched after act of arson
The Associated Press reports that the fire damage was mostly to a room on the residence’s south side that is often used for entertaining crowds.
Shapiro called it a targeted attack on his family and the entire state.
“This type of violence is not okay,” Shapiro said. “This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society, and I don’t give a damn if it’s coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another, or one particular person or another. It is not okay, and it has to stop. We have to be better than this. We have a responsibility to all be better.”
Investigators couldn’t say at this time if the act of arson could be a hate crime. They’re reviewing surveillance cameras and security equipment to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.
Pennsylvania State Police emphasized that this is still an active and early investigation. A motive has not been determined at this time, but Shapiro had multiple messages about it.
“If this individual was trying to deter me from doing my job as your governor, rest assured, I will find a way to work even harder than I was just yesterday,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro said he and his family were celebrating Passover the night before the arson incident.
“If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community that joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night...hear me on this...we celebrated our faith last night and in a few hours we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover, again. Proudly,” Shapiro said.
Police said Balmer was taken to a hospital to be treated for a “medical event” not related to the incident or arrest.
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