Man sets fire to Gov. Residence with Josh Shapiro, family inside, officials say

A man was arrested and will face charges after he set an early morning fire that badly damaged the Governor's Residence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, forcing Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and guests to quickly escape, officials said.

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Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is currently in custody and will be charged with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault, according to Dauphin County District Attorney Francis Chardo.

The fire occurred at the Governor's Residence on North Front Street in Harrisburg around 2 a.m. on Sunday, April 13, 2025.

Authorities said Balmer hopped over a fence surrounding the property and forcibly entered the residence before setting it on fire. Police deputy commissioner George Bivens said Balmer was inside the residence for less than a minute, had a homemade incendiary device and evaded police who knew there had been a breach.

"He actively evaded troopers who were here to secure the residence even while they were searching for him on the property," Bivens said. "While they were searching, is when he attacked at the residence, broke in and set the fires."

Balmer was later arrested in the area.

"I will tell you that he clearly had a plan," Bivens said. "He was very methodical in his approach and moved through it without a lot of hurry, in a methodical manner and carried it out."

During a Sunday afternoon press conference, Gov. Shapiro said that he, his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family were sleeping at the residence early Sunday morning after celebrating the Jewish holiday of Passover on Saturday. Shapiro said they were awakened by state troopers.

“I’m obviously emotional,” Shapiro said. "When we were in the state dining room last night, we told the story of Passover and the story of the Jewish exodus from bondage. I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that someone attempted to put on me by attacking us as they did last night.”

Capital City Fire

Capital City Fire

The fire caused "a significant amount of damage" to a portion of the home, according to officials. No one was injured. The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was called to the residence and, while they worked to put out the fire, police evacuated Shapiro and his family from the residence safely, the governor said.

On Sunday, fire damage was visible on the residence's south side, primarily to a large room often used for entertaining crowds and art displays. There was still a police presence early Sunday afternoon as yellow tape cordoned off an alleyway and an officer led a dog outside an iron security fence.

PHOTOS: Arson fire damages Pennsylvania Governor's Residence

“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!”

Shapiro splits his time between the mansion that has housed governors since it was built in the 1960s and a home in Abington, Pennsylvania, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) east. He posted a picture on social media Saturday of the family's Passover Seder table at the residence.

Sunday night, there was increased security outside of Shapiro's Abington home. Abington Township Police Chief Pat Molloy said his department offered to help support Shapiro's detail in the hours after the incident.

Shapiro, viewed as a potential White House contender for the Democratic Party in 2028, said he had received pledges of help from the Department of Justice, the FBI and the U.S. attorney’s office as well as numerous messages of support from fellow governors and others.

In a statement released around lunchtime, Pa. Attorney General Dave Sunday posted online, saying that his office was ready to provide resources to "find the culprit of this senseless act of violence."

Attorney General Dave Sunday’s statement on the overnight arson at the Governor’s residence: https://t.co/65c4ZOmHN6 pic.twitter.com/e2EsCSmK6s

— PA Attorney General Dave Sunday (@PAAttorneyGen) April 13, 2025

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker, a Republican, called the attack a “despicable act of cowardice” and said he hoped Pennsylvanians joined he and his wife in keeping the Shapiros in their prayers.

Former Gov. Tom Ridge, also a Republican, said images of the damage to the residence where he lived for eight years with his family were “heartbreaking” and said the attack on the official residence was shocking.

“Whoever is responsible for this attack — to both the Shapiro family and our Commonwealth — must be held to account,” Ridge said.

What we know about Cody Balmer

Court records show Balmer faced criminal charges in Pennsylvania before. He pleaded guilty to forgery and theft in 2015, forgery again in 2016 and was also charged with assault in 2023. That case is still moving through the courts.

Officials haven't said if they believe Sunday's incident was politically motivated or a hate crime.

NBC10 reached out to Balmer's public defender in the assault case. We have not yet received a response.