(Headline USA) A man scaled an iron security fence in the middle of the night, eluded police and broke into the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion where he set a fire that left significant damage and forced Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and guests to evacuate the building, authorities said Sunday.
The man, captured later in the day, will face charges of attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault, authorities said.
Shapiro said he, his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family had celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover at the residence on Saturday and were awakened by state troopers pounding on their doors at about 2 a.m. Sunday. They fled and the fire was extinguished, officials said. No one was injured.
At a Sunday evening news conference in front of the badly damaged south wing of the governor’s residence, Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris identified the man in custody as Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg.
Paris emphasized that the investigation is continuing. Authorities did not disclose the man’s motive, but an emotional Shapiro — who is viewed as a potential White House contender for the Democratic Party in 2028 — said he is unbowed.
Authorities said the suspect hopped over a nearly 7-foot-high iron security fence surrounding the property, eluded officers who became aware of the breach and forcibly entered the residence before setting it on fire.
Lt. Col. George Bivens said Balmer had a homemade incendiary device — he wouldn’t describe what kind — and appeared to have carefully planned the attack. He was inside the residence for about a minute before he escaped, Bivens said.
Bivens said Balmer was later arrested in the area.
The fire badly damaged the inside of the large room that is often used for entertaining crowds and art displays. Large west- and south-facing windows were completely missing their glass panes, shattered glass littered the pathways and doors stood ajar amid signs of charring. Window panes and brick around doors and windows were blackened and charred.
Inside, a charred piano, tables, walls, metal buffet serving dishes and more could be seen through broken windows and fire-blackened doors.
The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was called to the residence and put out the fire at the Susquehanna Riverfront mansion. Shapiro and his family had been sleeping in a different
Yellow tape cordoned off an alleyway on the residence’s south side, where investigators dogs outside the iron security fence and sawed off a section from the top of the security fence. They wrapped it in heavy black plastic and took it away in a vehicle.
Shapiro splits his time between the mansion that has housed governors since it was built in the 1960s and a home in Abington, about 100 miles east. He posted a photograph on social media Saturday of the family’s Passover Seder table at the residence.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
