Man Accused of Arson at Governor’s Home Over Political Beliefs

A man who is accused of starting a fire at the home of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro told a 911 operator that he did it because of the governor’s views on Palestine, according to a news report.

The suspect, 38-year-old Cody A. Balmer, is facing serious charges, including arson and attempted murder. Police say Balmer climbed over the wall around the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg early on April 13. He broke windows and threw Molotov cocktails (homemade firebombs) inside to start the fire, and then went inside the building himself.

Thankfully, no one was hurt, but parts of the house were badly damaged.

A news report from PennLive says that a search warrant shows what might have been Balmer’s reason for the attack. According to the report, Balmer called 911 after he ran away from the scene. He gave his name and said that Governor Shapiro “needs to know” that he won’t support what Shapiro “wants to do to the Palestinian people.”

The warrant mentioned in the article hasn’t been shared publicly. USA TODAY hasn’t seen it directly.

Governor Shapiro is Jewish and has been very vocal in his support for Israel. He is also known as a Democratic leader who often disagrees with former President Donald Trump’s policies. Just hours before the fire, his family had celebrated Passover at the residence.

The 911 call was made around 12:50 a.m., according to the report. A police officer wrote in the warrant that Balmer targeted the governor because of what he believed were unfair actions toward the Palestinian people.