Arsonist Sets Fire to PA Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Residence as Family Slept UPDATE: Suspect arrested
According to the report, the incident was described as “an arson attack that significantly damaged a section of the governor’s residence.”
The New York Times reported that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were awakened at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday by State Police officers banging on their door. Their home in Harrisburg was on fire. The family was safely evacuated as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.
According to the report, the incident was described as “an arson attack that significantly damaged a section of the governor’s residence.”
In a Facebook post on Sunday morning, Shapiro wrote:
Last night at about 2AM, my family and I woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg.
The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was on the scene and while they worked to put out the fire, we were evacuated from the Residence safely by Pennsylvania State Police and assisted by Capitol Police. Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished.
Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities. Last night, they did so for our family – and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe.
PA State Police is on the scene leading this investigation and will keep the public updated.
According to a statement from the State Police, “While the investigation is ongoing, the State Police is prepared to say at this time that this was an act of arson.”
The Pennsylvania State Police, Troop H is currently on scene and spearheading a multi-agency investigation.
There is a reward of up to $10,000 offered through PSP Tips for the arrest and conviction for the individual(s) responsible. Anyone with information should call 1-800-4PA TIPS (1-800-472-8477).
No additional information will be released at this time. However, this is a fast-moving investigation, and details will be provided as appropriate.
The previous evening, Gov. Shapiro, a Democrat, had shared a Passover greeting on social media, accompanied by a photo of his family’s Seder table. It remains unclear whether there is any connection between the post and the subsequent arson attack.
From the Shapiro family's Seder table to yours, happy Passover and Chag Pesach Sameach! pic.twitter.com/2II1Id1W23
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) April 12, 2025
The Times describes the residence as “a 29,000-square-foot Georgian-style home on the Susquehanna River.”
It was completed in 1968 and eight governors have lived there with their families.
The public is able to tour the residence, which exhibits art and artifacts on the first floor.
The popular governor took office in January 2023, following his tenure as Pennsylvania’s attorney general. Widely expected to be selected as former Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate last August, he was inexplicably—and, many would argue, unwisely—passed over in favor of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Updates will be provided as they become available.
UPDATE: April 13, 8:45 p.m.
At a Sunday evening press conference, police announced that a suspect had been taken in custody.
Fox News reported:
Cody Balmer, 38, will be charged with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault against an enumerated person, according to officials.
The suspect also made “homemade incendiary devices,” according to Bivens.
“He actively evaded troopers who were here to secure the residence,” the official explained. “While [police] were searching is when he attacked at the residence, [and] broke in and set the fires.”
“So that was all playing out over a period of several minutes. It was a very quick event that occurred, and, and again, troopers were actively searching for him at the time,” Bivens added.
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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Comments
Was it politics or was it antisemitism.
The crazies know no bounds.
For some, antisemitism is part of their politics.
It was terrorism….
Although there is no evidence so far pointing to antisemitism, that was my first thought.
He wasn’t passed over. He suffers from being at least marginally sane and probably responded with “let me get back to you,” and this was before he realized that he would need to sew the foreskin back on.
He would likely be the best candidate for the Dems in 2028, and perhaps one of the far left peeps decided to send him an early message.
The wokiestas and zealous leftists will still be ascendant in ’28. They still believe they should have embraced even more lefty Cray Cray and the reason they got hammered in ’24 was an insufficient supply of woke nonsense. IOW ’28 won’t be his year b/c the d/prog will remain in the grip of the wokiestas. In ’32 though?
If he cared at all about his family and his community he would renounce the democrats and become at least an independent. I’m estimating at least a third of the democrats have become virulently antisemitic and any “jew” who clings to them is no Jew at all.
I guess we’ll know shortly about the arsonist. If they report it, then it’ll be a conservative. Otherwise they’ll most likely just be stumped.
Conservatives really have zero incentive to choose to do this, as opposed to 300 other violent targets they might choose if they were so inclined.
My tinfoil hat’s first flatulence was that it was perhaps a false flag designed to get him out in front of Walz and AOC. The two problems with that is that it was way too early in the cycle to have legs, and also that it’s way too low-budget to compete with a precisely placed bullet in the ear.
I don’t think he has to do anything besides not be a retard to get ahead of AOC and Walz
It is probably self inflected. Who play victimhood better than the Dems.
Really stupid comment.
Governor Whitmer, your thoughts . . .?
Harris?
Jussie Smollett?
Yeah I’m sure there is no connection at all. After all is not like he’s from ann ethnic minority group that’s being targeted by over a 100% spike in violent incidents or anything ? I mean he’s just a dumb powerful white dude likely he set the fire himself just like those stupid Israelis massacred themselves so they could kill all those pure sweet innocent Palestinian children and steal their organs and drink their blood.
Terrorism. Unacceptable, whatever motivation
doesn’t arson when committed to a dwelling with knowledge it is likely occupied rise to attempted murder?–surely the state of pa isn’t going to blow off the attempted murder of the governor and his family
The article I read says that, yes. Perhaps she updated it since you asked.
A suspect [insert innocent-until-proven-guilty caveat here] by the name of Cody Balmer was arrested for the arson not long ago. There is basically jack all confirmed information about him beyond that he’s a 38-year-old resident of Harrisburg. From his picture, he’s a thin, shaggy-looking white guy.
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