Suspect in arson at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence planned to beat him with hammer

A man who authorities said scaled an iron security fence in the middle of the night, eluded police and broke into the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion where he set a fire had planned to beat Gov. Josh Shapiro with a hammer if he found him, according to court documents released today.

The fire left significant damage and forced Shapiro, his family and guests to evacuate the building early Sunday. The man, arrested later in the day, faces charges including attempted homicide, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault, authorities say.

In court documents, authorities say Cody Balmer told them after he was taken into custody that he would have beaten Shapiro with a hammer if he had found him. Balmer had walked an hour from his home to the governor’s residence, documents say.

Shapiro said he, his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family had celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover at the residence on Saturday and 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.

At a Sunday evening news conference in front of the badly damaged south wing of the governor’s residence, Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris identified the man in custody as Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg.

Authorities did not say whether Balmer has a lawyer or where he was being held, and calls to people believed to be relatives went unanswered or unreturned. One recently listed residence in Harrisburg was condemned in 2022.