{"id":2155,"date":"2025-10-15T17:56:53","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T17:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/2155\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T17:56:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T17:56:53","slug":"pennsylvania-man-pleads-guilty-to-arson-attack-on-gov-josh-shapiros-home-deseret-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/2155\/","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania man pleads guilty to arson attack on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home \u2013 Deseret News"},"content":{"rendered":"

The man charged with setting fire to the Pennsylvania governor\u2019s mansion, occupied by Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family, entered a guilty plea in court on Tuesday as part of a plea deal. <\/p>\n

Cody A. Balmer, 38, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, aggravated arson, 22 counts of arson, burglary and other charges, the Dauphin County District Attorney\u2019s Office said. <\/a><\/p>\n

Balmer has been sentenced to 25 to 50 years in state prison under the plea deal, the district attorney\u2019s statement said. <\/p>\n

Balmer reportedly was upset with Shapiro\u2019s stance on the Israel-Hamas war. Shapiro condemned Hamas\u2019 attack and the rise of antisemitism in recent years. <\/p>\n

Prosecutors said Balmer climbed a security fence at the governor\u2019s mansion on April 13 and set a fire that left significant damage and forced the Shapiro family and guests to evacuate. <\/p>\n

Shapiro was with his wife Lori, their four children, two dogs and another family celebrating the Jewish holiday of Passover and were woken up by state troopers pounding on the door to alert them of the fire. <\/p>\n

\"\"This image made from a surveillance video provided by the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office shows Cody Balmer holding a Molotov cocktail and striking at a door leading to where Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and guests slept in the governor’s mansion on April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. | Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office via the Associated Press <\/p>\n

Security footage released by authorities show a man climbing the fence, breaking one of the home\u2019s windows and throwing a Molotov cocktail inside. The fires caused significant damage to some of the rooms in the house, but no one was injured.<\/p>\n

A search was underway during the day for a suspect and Balmer later turned himself in. <\/p>\n

Today, the defendant in the attack at the Governor’s Residence pled guilty to attempted murder, arson, terrorism, and several other counts. <\/p>\n

While today’s news brings some closure, it also reminds us of the work we all must do, together, to combat political violence.<\/p>\n

As the day\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 Josh Shapiro (@JoshShapiroPA) October 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Shapiro reacted to the plea deal, noting that it brings \u201csome closure,\u201d but also serves as a reminder of the need to combat political violence. <\/p>\n

\"\"This image provided by Commonwealth Media Services shows damage after a fire at the Pennsylvania governor\u2019s mansion while Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept inside on Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. | Commonwealth Media Services via Associated Press <\/p>\n

Shapiro, in a Substack post<\/a>, shared that it\u2019s difficult to grasp that someone tried to burn his family to death. He said he and his wife have struggled to explain it to their children. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve carried with me this enormous sense of guilt \u2014 guilt that doing this job that I love so much has put our children\u2019s lives at risk. It\u2019s been really hard,\u201d Shapiro said. <\/p>\n

The governor said the ongoing construction in the home and security measures for the family are constant reminders of what happened and that \u201cour safety is not assured.\u201d He thanked the law enforcement and firefighters for their work that night.<\/p>\n

\"\"Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro pauses during a news conference at the governor’s official residence discussing the alleged arson that forced him, his family and guests to flee in the middle of the night on the Jewish holiday of Passover, Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. | Marc Levy, Associated Press <\/p>\n

Shapiro noted that his family is not the only one experiencing political violence. He called for an end to the rise of violent political acts and expressed gratitude for accountability in this case. <\/p>\n

The April attack was widely condemned by leaders of both political parties. It\u2019s one of several acts of political violence happening across the country, including the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump, the assassination of a Minnesota state Democratic lawmaker and her husband, and the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, among others. <\/p>\n