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. 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 had a homemade incendiary device and evaded police who knew there had been a breach. Bivens said Balmer was later arrested in the area. 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.” Photo Credit: 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. “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!” 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. 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. 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. ...read more read less