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(AP) — Investigators worked Tuesday to uncover the motive behind an arson fire over the weekend at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion, the latest act of political violence in the U.S.
They dug into Cody Balmer’s background after, authorities say, he scaled an iron security fence in the middle of the night, eluded police and set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion.
Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, was denied bail Monday as he faced charges including attempted homicide, terrorism and arson. He did not enter a plea to the charges.
He had told police he planned to beat Shapiro with a small sledgehammer if he encountered him after breaking into the building, according to court documents. A motive for the attack, including whether it had anything to do with Shapiro’s politics or religious beliefs, wasn’t immediately clear.
Balmer’s mother told The Associated Press on Monday that she had made calls in recent days about his mental health issues, but “nobody would help.” Christie Balmer said her son was not taking his medicine.
However, in court, Balmer politely told a judge he did not suffer from any mental illness.
Fire caused significant damage and forced an evacuation
The fire caused significant damage and forced Shapiro, his family and guests, including other relatives, to evacuate the building early Sunday. The residence, built in 1968, did not have sprinklers, and the damage could be in the millions of dollars, Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said.
Shapiro said he, his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family had celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover in the same room Saturday night along with members of Harrisburg’s Jewish community. They were awakened by state troopers pounding on their doors at about 2 a.m. Sunday. They fled and firefighters extinguished the fire, officials said. No one was injured.
Balmer had walked an hour from his home to the governor’s residence, and during a police interview “admitted to harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro,” according to a police affidavit that did not expand on that point. Afterward, he returned home, where police said they later found clothing he wore at the time and a small sledgehammer.
Balmer turned himself in at state police headquarters after confessing to his former partner and asking her to call police, which she did, the affidavit said. Authorities did not say whether he has a lawyer.
Man charged in fire had been due in court this week
Balmer, who said he was an unemployed welder with no income or savings, had been due in court later this week in an assault case in which he was accused of punching two relatives and stepping on a child’s already broken leg in 2023. In court Monday, he told the judge he did not have any drug or alcohol problems, but acknowledged missing a few court dates in the past.
Hours after the fire, an emotional Shapiro, who is viewed as a potential White House contender for the Democratic Party in 2028, said the intruder could not deter him from doing his job or observing his faith.
“I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that someone attempts to put on me by attacking us as they did here last night,” Shapiro said Sunday. “I refuse to let anyone who had evil intentions like that stop me from doing the work that I love.”
The attack appeared to be carefully planned, police say
Balmer, who is registered as an unaffiliated voter, appeared to have carefully planned the attack, police said. He was inside the residence for about a minute before he escaped and was later arrested in the area, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said.
He hopped over a nearly 7-foot-high (2-meter-high) iron security fence surrounding the property, eluded officers who became aware of the breach and forcibly entered the residence before setting it on fire, authorities said. He used beer bottles filled with gasoline to make Molotov cocktails, documents say.
Balmer has faced criminal charges over the past decade including simple assault, theft and forgery, according to online court records. He also had financial problems in recent years, including a lender filing for foreclosure on a modest Harrisburg house he owned in 2022 over missed mortgage payments, court records show. A deed transfer shows Balmer sold the house for $60,000 last September to settle the debt.
He is the father of at least three children, with two women filing court complaints seeking child custody agreements in 2012 and 2023.
The fire badly damaged the large room that is often used for entertaining crowds and for art displays. Large west- and south-facing windows were missing their glass panes and shattered glass littered pathways. A charred piano, tables, walls, metal buffet serving dishes and more could be seen through broken windows and fire-blackened doors.
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Associated Press reporters Michael Biesecker and Michelle Price in Washington and Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
