The man accused of starting a large fire in the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence told police he was “harboring hatred” toward Gov. Josh Shapiro, according to new court documents.
Cody Balmer, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was arrested Sunday after officials said he hopped a fence and intentionally set the fire around 2 a.m. on April 13. Shapiro and his family were home at the time, and had just celebrated the first night of Passover inside the residence the night before.
Court documents filed in Dauphin County show Balmer, 38, was officially charged with criminal homicide (attempted murder), terrorism, aggravated arson, aggravated assault, burglary and other counts.
“Lori and I are overwhelmed by the prayers and the messages of support that we’ve received from all across Pennsylvania and all across the United States,” Gov. Shapiro said Sunday. “I want you all to know that your prayers lift us up, and in this moment of darkness, we are choosing to see light. We appreciate the light that you have shined upon us.”
According to charging documents, during their investigation, Pennsylvania State Police were contacted by a woman who described Balmer as her “ex-paramour” and told officers that Balmer was responsible for setting the fire. When asked why she believed Balmer was responsible, the woman told investigators that he confessed to her and wanted her to turn him in to police, the complaint said.
A short time later, Balmer went to the Pennsylvania State Police Headquarters on Elmerton Avenue in Harrisburg and, according to charging documents, told a trooper he set the fire and wanted to turn himself in.
Prior to making contact with Balmer, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said Sunday that the suspected arsonist climbed over a fence and “evaded troopers” as they searched for him on the property before the fire.
Security footage from inside and outside the residence captured a man, later identified as Balmer, breaking a window in the home’s piano room and throwing a homemade Molotov cocktail into the house. Court documents said Balmer then broke another window, climbed into the residence, and set off another incendiary device in the dining room.
Balmer then left through the dining room door and was seen on camera running from the Governor’s Residence. Bivens said Balmer was inside the house for less than one minute.
Additional footage from privately owned security cameras in the area helped investigators track Balmer’s movements and find a discarded pair of gloves he was seen wearing in videos while setting the fires, investigators said.
During an interview with Pennsylvania State Police, Balmer admitted that he hated Gov. Shapiro, removed gasoline from a lawn mower and poured it into beer bottles before walking an hour to the Governor’s Residence and throwing the homemade Molotov cocktails into the home, the criminal complaint said.
Balmer also told investigators that he knew it was possible the Shapiros would be home at the time.
When asked what he would’ve done if confronted by the governor while inside the residence, the complaint said Balmer stated he would’ve “beaten him with his hammer.” During a search of Balmer’s home, police found the sledgehammer seen in surveillance video, along with the clothes Balmer was seen wearing during the attack.
Christie Balmer told CBS News that her son is “mentally ill and he went off his medication” prior to the attack on the Governor’s Residence and that she had tried to get her son “picked up” last week by four different police departments.
According to Christie Balmer, she couldn’t get anybody to help. “So he was mentally ill, went off his meds, and this is what happened,” she said.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact PSP at 1-800-4PA TIPS (1-800-472-8477).
