Pennsylvania man arrested, charged with attempted murder after setting fire at Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence in Harrisburg

A Pennsylvania man has been charged with tried homicide, terrorism and different offenses after an in a single day hearth on the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg pressured Gov. Josh Shapiro and his household to evacuate the house, in accordance with court docket paperwork filed in Dauphin County.

Officers stated Cody Balmer, 38, hopped a fence and deliberately set a fireplace on the residence early on Sunday, April 13, whereas Shapiro and his household have been residence. Balmer, of Harrisburg, was charged Monday with felony murder/tried homicide, terrorism, aggravated arson and extra. He was taken into custody on Sunday within the Harrisburg space. 

Shapiro stated the assault was focused, however officers do not know Balmer’s particular motive but. 

“This sort of violence is turning into far too widespread in our society,” Shapiro stated. “And I do not give a rattling if it is coming from one explicit facet or the opposite, directed at one explicit celebration or one other, or one explicit particular person or one other, it’s not OK, and it has to cease. Now we have to be higher than this. Now we have a duty to all be higher.”

Balmer’s mom, Christie Balmer, instructed CBS News her son is “mentally in poor health and he went off his remedy.”

Christie Balmer stated she tried to get her son “picked up” final week and reached out to 4 totally different police departments however “could not get anyone to assist. So he was mentally in poor health, went off his meds, and that is what occurred.”

State police stated crews from the Harrisburg Bureau of Hearth went to the Governor’s Residence on North Entrance Avenue in Dauphin County round 2 a.m. Sunday for a report of a fireplace. 

Shapiro stated that he and his household have been asleep on the residence when the fireplace broke out. The Pennsylvania governor stated they woke as much as bangs on the door by the Pennsylvania State Police. Shapiro, his spouse, Lori, and his youngsters, together with two canines and the kinfolk staying with them, evacuated the Governor’s Residence as Harrisburg hearth crews labored to extinguish the blaze.

The Pennsylvania governor stated that nobody was injured, and the fireplace was introduced underneath management. 

The hearth occurred after Shapiro, who’s Jewish, and his household celebrated the primary night time of Passover. Shapiro declined to name the fireplace a hate crime however stated that the blaze will not deter him from doing his job or celebrating his religion. 

“I am not fearful,” Shapiro stated. “I am clearly emotional. I am anxious about my household. I need my youngsters to be OK. After we have been within the State Eating Room final night time, gathered with the neighborhood and household and buddies, we instructed the story of Passover, and it is a story of going from bondage, from slavery, into freedom. I believe it is an essential story, each actually and figuratively, to inform, and I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that somebody makes an attempt to placed on me by attacking us, as they did right here final night time. I refuse to let anybody who had evil intentions like that cease me from doing the work that I really like, cease me from being a frontrunner of this commonwealth and searching for all Pennsylvanians. I cannot be deterred in my work, and I cannot be afraid to try this work.”  

Pennsylvania State Police Troop H is investigating the fireplace, which they stated brought on important harm to a portion of the house. The company is providing a $10,000 reward by way of PSP Ideas for an arrest and conviction within the investigation. 

State police encourages anybody with info associated to the fireplace to name 1-800-4PA TIPS (1-800-472-8477).

The Governor’s Residence was constructed on the Susquehanna River and is described as a 29,000-square-foot Georgian-style residence designed by architect George Ewing. 

The house has housed eight governors and their households, in accordance with the state’s website.

Shapiro spoke with FBI Director Kash Patel and stated he promised all of the assets needed for the investigation. 

“Lori and I are overwhelmed by the prayers and the messages of assist that we have obtained from all throughout Pennsylvania and all throughout the USA,” an emotional Shapiro stated. “We have heard from our fellow governors and first spouses. We have heard from a number of of the previous governors of Pennsylvania. Heard from so many buddies and family members. We have heard from so many caring residents of this nice commonwealth. I need you all to know that your prayers raise us up, and on this second of darkness, we’re selecting to see mild. We recognize the sunshine that you’ve got shined upon us.”

Who’s Cody Balmer, and the way did he enter the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence? 

Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens stated that Balmer climbed over a fence and “evaded troopers” whereas they have been looking for him on the property earlier than the fireplace.

Bivens stated that Balmer broke into the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence and set the fireplace with a do-it-yourself incendiary system. 

It is unclear if Balmer knew the format of the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence, however he was inside the home for lower than one minute, in accordance with Bivens.

“That is all a part of the continuing investigation. When it comes to the format, I’ll let you know that he clearly had a plan,” Bivens stated. “He was very methodical in his method and moved by way of it with out a variety of hurry, once more, in a really methodical, deliberate method, and carried it out, though in a really brief time period.”

A safety assessment is at the moment underway to learn the way Balmer was capable of enter after which exit the property after allegedly setting the fireplace. There can even be additional safety round Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence following the incident, officers stated.

Pennsylvania leaders reply after Governor’s Residence hearth

Leaders from the commonwealth and surrounding areas posted statements on social media concerning the hearth, the Shapiro household’s security and the emergency crews’ response. 

In a statement, Legal professional Common Dave Sunday praised the primary responders for his or her fast actions and stated his workplace “stands prepared with any assets wanted to search out the perpetrator of this mindless act of violence.”

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge posted on social media that he and his spouse are grateful the Shapiro household made it out safely, saying, “The pictures displaying the harm to the house we lived in with our kids for practically eight years are heartbreaking.” One other former commonwealth chief, Gov. Mark Schweiker, known as the fireplace, which state police are investigating as arson, a “despicable act of cowardice.”

Lt. Gov. Austin Davis posted his sentiments on social media, writing in part, “I will not speculate on motivations, however I’ll say that concentrating on elected officers and their members of the family with violence is rarely acceptable.”

Democratic Speaker of the Pennsylvania Home Rep. Joanna McClinton said in part, “cowardly acts of violence meant to stoke concern haven’t any place in our commonwealth.”

New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim moreover condemned the fireplace, writing, “Violence can by no means be tolerated.”

Philadelphia Metropolis Council President Kenyatta Johnson stated in a press release: “On behalf of the entire members of Philadelphia Metropolis Council, we’re all comfortable that Governor Josh Shapiro and his household are secure after the heinous act of arson.”

This can be a growing story and will likely be up to date.