4 days Ago By USA TODAY
The man accused in the April 13 arson attack on the Pennsylvania Governor's Residence while Gov. Shapiro and his family were inside was being held without bail while authorities try to determine what prompted him to ignite the devastating blaze. Cody Balmer who turned himself in to police after the attack, told Dauphin County Magisterial District Judge Dale Klein at a hearing April 14 that he was living at his parents’ home for the past year, had most recently worked as a welder but had no income or savings.
Klein ordered Balmer held for his own safety and the safety of the community. Balmer, 38, is due back in court April 23 for a preliminary hearing. Balmer faces charges that include attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary and terrorism.
After his arrest, Balmer was being treated at a hospital following "a medical event not connected" to the attack, according to Pennsylvania State Police. The fire severely damaged the dining room of the 29,000 square-foot home. Gov.
Josh Shapiro and his family were in another part of the residence when the fire was ignited. They escaped unharmed after being awakened by State Police. Suspect in arson attack at Pennsylvania Gov.
Josh Shapiro's home denied bail Woman notified police before Balmer surrendered A woman contacted Harrisburg police and said her ex-partner, Balmer, ignited the blaze, according to the probable cause affidavit. Balmer, when asked what he would have done if he encountered Shapiro in the home, told investigators "he would have beaten him with his hammer," according to the affidavit. Balmer told investigators he was "harboring hatred" toward Shapiro, but no details on a possible motivation were included in court documents.
Who is Josh Shapiro? Shapiro, Pennsylvania's third Jewish governor , has been a focal point of criticism from some pro-Palestinian groups for his staunch support of Israeli during its army's unrelenting assault on Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Shapiro, 51, is one of the most well-known Democratic governors in the country — and has fielded questions about a future run for president — after reports that he was on the short list to run as Kamala Harris' vice president in the 2024 election.
Hours before the arson, Shapiro and his family were celebrating the start of Passover, a Jewish holiday that commemorates the Jewish Exodus from Egypt. Suspect's mother says son has mental health challenges Balmer's mother told several news outlets that her son struggles with his mental health and that she had recently 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 from the family home in Harrisburg.
CBS News quoted Balmer's mother as saying her son "was mentally ill" and "went off his meds." How the suspect entered the Shapiro residence According to an affidavit, the suspect was seen on video footage "surveilling the residence" before climbing over a fence parallel to a street on the south side of the property. Balmer is accused of scaling a fence south of the mansion, breaking windows in an area identified as a piano room and hurling bottles of gasoline into the house, causing the fire.
What happened during the Shapiro mansion attack? See maps Most of the damage appeared to be contained to the south end of the mansion in the piano room and dining room. The affidavit describes "significant fire damage" caused by "incendiary devices" identified as Heineken-brand beer bottles filled with gasoline, the broken remnants of which were recovered at the scene. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arson attack on Gov.
Shapiro: Suspect Cody Balmer held without bail.
