The man, 38-year-old Cody Balmer of Harrisburg, entered Shapiro’s home on Sunday and lit it on fire with Molotov cocktails, forcing the governor, his family, and guests to evacuate the 29,000-square-foot mansion.
Balmer has been arrested and is facing charges including attempted homicide, terrorism, aggravated arson, and aggravated assault.
Balmer told police during an interview that if he had found Shapiro he would have beaten him with the hammer, though did not elaborate on his hatred towards him.
“Balmer admitted to harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro,” a police affidavit said.
He walked an hour to Shapiro’s residence with beer bottles filled with gasoline, fashioned into flammable Molotov cocktails. Balmer hopped a nearly 7-foot fence surrounding the property, evaded officers, and quickly set fire to the residence before leaving. The occupants of the mansion were evacuated out around 2 a.m. unharmed and firefighters extinguished the fire.
The motivation for the attack is unclear, but it occurred in the same room where Shapiro celebrated Passover with members of Harrisburg’s Jewish community on Saturday night. The governor said he will only work harder and is not afraid to observe his faith because of the attack.
“When we were in the state dining room last night, we told the story of Passover and the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt to freedom,” Shapiro said. “I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that someone attempts to put on me by attacking us as they did here last night. I refuse to let anyone who had evil intentions like that stop me from doing the work that I love,” he added.
Shapiro said he doesn’t know the suspect’s motives but that the violence, which caused a fire that inflicted significant damage on the property, is unacceptable. “But we do know a few truths. First: This type of violence is not OK. 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 OK, and it has to stop. We have to be better than this.”
Balmer has a criminal record, including charges of simple assault, theft, and forgery.
The suspect has been critical of the government, urging people to “become ungovernable.” He reposted artwork of a Molotov cocktail in 2022 with the slogan “Be the light you want to see in the world.”
He criticized former President Joe Biden in the past, sharing posts that shed doubt on whether he won in 2020 and a picture with the text “Joe Biden owes me 2 grand” and a post that said, “Biden supporters shouldn’t exist.”
Balmer also slammed both parties in 2020, reposting a meme that argued that both Democrats and Republicans “would rather argue with each other than work to solve the problems we are facing.”
HERE ARE THE LAWSUITS TARGETING TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDERS
Due to an unrelated medical event, Balmer has been transported to a local hospital. He is receiving treatment and is under police supervision.
Police told ABC 27 he will be transported to the Dauphin County Prison for arraignment following his release from the hospital.
