Police arrested a man who was suspected of being on fire from Pennsylvania -Governor Josh Shapiro on Saturday night, and authorities said he would be charged with attempted murder and terrorism.
Col. Christopher Paris, state police at Pennsylvania, later identified the man in custody as Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg.
“We don’t know the person’s specific motive yet,” a visibly frustrated Shapiro said at an emotionally charged press conference. “But we know some truths. First, this kind of violence is not in order. This kind of violence becomes far too common in our society. I do not give a condemnation when it comes from one side or the other, directed at some party, or some person, it is not in order. It has to stop. We have to be better than that. ‘
Francis Chardo, Dauphin County district attorney, said the man would be charged with attempted murder, terrorism, attempted arson and aggravating assault.
Shapiro said he and his family woke up just after 2am to go through the state police after a fire to the governor’s home in Harrisburg.
The fire broke out overnight on the first night of the Jewish Passover holiday, which Shapiro and his family celebrated at the Governor’s official home in the capital of Harrisburg. Shapiro shared a photo of his family’s cedar table a few hours before.
Shapiro said the fire was put in the same room where they celebrated Passover with a cedar with members of the Jewish community of Harrisburg a few hours before.
The Governor’s mansion is monitored by state harvesters. Officials said Balmer jumped over an almost 7-foot-high (2.1 meter-high) iron security fence, which eludes officers, and then entered the house and set fire to the house. He was in the hostel for about a minute before escaping, and had a homemade burn on him. Police later arrested him.
.png)
“He clearly had a plan,” Lt. Col. George Bivens, of the state police, told the media. “He was very methodical in his approach and moved through it without being in a hurry.”
Crews evacuated the family and no one was injured.
Shapiro and his wife, Lori, have four children and were in another part of the home when the fire was lit.
The fire caused a ‘significant amount of damage’ to part of the residence, state police said.
From Sunday, fire damage is still visible on the south side of the residence, mainly in a large room that is frequently used to entertain crowds and art exhibitions. There was still a police presence, while yellow band knocked off an alley and an officer led a dog outside an iron security fence.
Shapiro, a Democrat, was once considered a precursor to Kamala Harris’s going mate. The 51-year-old man is also an expected contender for the White House in 2028.
Last month, Shapiro joined a coalition of governors and attorneys general who sued President Donald Trump’s administration after cutting $ 12 billion to federal funds for Covid-19 initiatives and several other nationwide public health projects.
