Suspect told police he would have used hammer on Governor Shapiro if encountered

The suspect in the arson attack at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence confessed to deliberately setting the fire and told investigators he would have beaten the governor with a hammer if they had encountered each other, according to a newly released affidavit.

Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, was taken into custody after the early Sunday morning attack and now faces charges including attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, and aggravated assault.

The criminal complaint outlines how Balmer scaled a security fence, entered the residence, and used homemade incendiary devices to ignite the fire while Governor Shapiro, his family, and guests were asleep inside.

Video surveillance footage captured Balmer climbing over the fence near Geiger Street around 2 a.m. and approaching the windows of the residence. He then broke two windows on the south side, threw incendiary devices into the piano room and dining room, and was observed fleeing the scene wearing mismatched gloves and carrying a bag. Two broken Heineken bottles filled with gasoline were later found inside the home.

The affidavit reveals that a woman identified as Balmer’s ex-partner tipped off authorities, stating that Balmer had admitted to the crime and wanted to turn himself in. He was apprehended hours later near a Pennsylvania State Police headquarters and voluntarily surrendered.

During his interview with investigators, Balmer said he had walked for about an hour from his home with the intent to throw Molotov cocktails into the governor’s residence. He admitted removing gasoline from a lawn mower and pouring it into bottles found at his home.

Balmer also confessed to harboring hatred toward Governor Shapiro and said he would have attacked him with a hammer if he had encountered him.

Following the attack, Balmer returned home, disposed of his clothing and gloves, and later led investigators to his residence, where they recovered a hammer and items matching those seen in the surveillance footage.

Shapiro and his family—including his children, relatives, and two dogs—were safely evacuated from the home thanks to swift action by state troopers and local fire crews. No injuries were reported, though the fire caused substantial damage to multiple rooms in the residence.

“This wasn’t just an attack on my family—it was an attack on the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said during a press briefing on Sunday. He added that his family had gathered with members of the Jewish community for a Passover Seder that evening and vowed that no act of hate would deter them from celebrating their faith.

The FBI is involved in the investigation and federal charges may still be forthcoming. Authorities have not indicated that Balmer was working with any accomplices and believe the incident was carried out independently.