CNN —
Pennsylvania State Police have arrested a Harrisburg man they say broke into Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence early Sunday and lit a fire while Shapiro and his family were sleeping.
Shapiro, his wife Lori, their four children, two dogs and another family were forced to evacuate from the home, which was significantly damaged by the fire. There were no injuries.
Cody Balmer, 38, was arrested in connection with the alleged arson, which occurred hours after Shapiro and his family hosted a Passover dinner.
Prosecutors said they plan to charge Balmer with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault against an enumerated person.
Shapiro, 51, was elected Pennsylvania governor in 2022 after spending six years as state attorney general.
A prominent Democrat, he was one of several candidates named as a possible running mate for former Vice President Kamala Harris during her 2024 presidential bid – and he’s been floated as a possible presidential candidate for the 2028 election.
Here’s what we know about the alleged attack and the response by officials:
Shapiro and his family woke up around 2 a.m. Sunday to loud bangs on the door from one of the state troopers assigned to their detail, after an arsonist had allegedly set fire to the governor’s residence, Shapiro told reporters.
Balmer hopped the fence surrounding the residence and broke into the home before setting the fire, officials said.
Balmer was inside the governor’s residence for less than one minute, and “actively evaded” troopers who were searching for him at the same time, Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said.
“He clearly had a plan,” he added. “He was very methodical in his approach.”
Balmer also had some “homemade incendiary devices,” Bivens said.
According to audio from the Dauphin County Fire and EMS scanner obtained by CNN, a caller reported a “large fire on the first floor” of the governor’s residence, adding they could “see fire out the windows.”
Harrisburg Bureau of Fire responded around 2 a.m. and extinguished the flames, according to state police.
Shapiro, his family and their house guests were evacuated safely by police. At a news conference, Shapiro said the attack was “targeted,” but a motive is not yet known.
Balmer’s arrest comes days before he is expected in court for a plea hearing in a separate case stemming from a 2023 simple assault charge, according to state court records. CNN has reached out to the attorney representing Balmer in that case.
In another case, Balmer pleaded guilty in 2016 to forgery and theft by deception charges, court documents show.
Balmer has not yet been charged by the state in connection with the alleged arson. He could also face federal charges, the state district attorney said.
The FBI’s Philadelphia field office is assisting state police in its investigation, the agency told CNN in an email.
Bivens said a security review is underway “to determine how we can ensure that we don’t have a repeat situation like this.”
State police said the fire caused a “significant amount of damage” to the governor’s residence in Harrisburg.
Photos inside the residence show torched walls and ceilings, ash-covered floors and destroyed furniture. There are remnants of the Passover dinner the governor hosted Saturday – including a “Passover Crafts” sign.
The Pennsylvania governor’s residence is a 29,000 square foot Georgian Style building on the Susquehanna River which has been home to eight governors and their families since it was completed in 1968, according to the Pennsylvania government.
The residence’s first floor houses both temporary and permanent art exhibits.
In an emotional news conference Sunday, Shapiro said the fire was an attack not just on his family but on “the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
He expressed gratitude for the messages of support and prayers he and his family have received, including from numerous politicians. Vice President JD Vance called the attack “really disgusting violence,” and Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania described it as “truly appalling.”
“I want you all to know that your prayers lift us up, and in this moment of darkness we are choosing to see light,” Shapiro said, choking up.
Shapiro sharply criticized political violence on both sides. Elected officials have faced a surge in violent threats in recent years – including a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2023 and two assassination attempts against President Donald Trump last year.
“This type of violence is not OK,” Shapiro said, his voice rising. “We have to be better than this.”
Still, Shapiro said he will not be “deterred” by the alleged attack. “If this individual was trying to deter me from doing my job as your governor, rest assured, I will find a way to work even harder than I was,” he said.
The governor also highlighted his pride in his Jewish faith.
“If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community, who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night, hear me on this: we celebrated our faith last night, proudly and in a few hours, we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover,” he said.
“No one will deter me or my family, or any Pennsylvanian from celebrating their faith openly and proudly.”
