A Harrisburg man facing charges of terrorism and attempted murder for allegedly setting fire to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s official residence has a criminal record spanning more than a decade, including past arrests involving forgery, theft and assault.
Why It Matters
The violent break-in at the governor’s mansion comes amid a rising trend of threats and attacks targeting U.S. political figures. Last year, Paul Pelosi, husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was attacked with a hammer in their home, and in 2022, an armed man was arrested near the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after allegedly expressing anger over Supreme Court rulings. In 2023, the FBI killed a Utah man who had posted online threats against President Joe Biden.
The incidents reflect escalating concerns about political extremism. Prosecutors say 38-year-old Cody A. Balmer told police he planned to beat Shapiro with a hammer and used Molotov cocktails made from beer bottles filled with gasoline to start the fire at the residence. The governor, his wife, children and guests were inside at the time but escaped unharmed.
This image released by Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office shows Cody Balmer, who is accused of breaking into the Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg and setting it on fire on April 13, 2025. This image released by Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office shows Cody Balmer, who is accused of breaking into the Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg and setting it on fire on April 13, 2025. Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office via AP
What To Know
Court records show that Balmer has multiple prior arrests in Pennsylvania.
In 2015, he was charged in two separate criminal cases in Dauphin County with felony forgery-related offenses. In the first case, Balmer was charged with forgery—altering writing and theft by deception. He pleaded guilty to both counts and was sentenced in 2016 to 18 months of probation.
In the second case, Balmer was also charged with forgery—uttering a forged writing. He pleaded guilty to that charge as well and was sentenced on the same day as the first case, April 13, 2016. Both cases stemmed from offenses committed in February 2015 in Dauphin County.
In January 2023, Balmer was charged with three counts of simple assault stemming from a separate incident. That case remains active, and he is scheduled to appear in Dauphin County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday, according to court dockets.
Balmer’s criminal record also includes various traffic offenses, such as driving with a suspended license and failing to use a seatbelt.
He turned himself in on Sunday after reportedly confessing to a former partner and asking her to call police. During an interview with authorities, he admitted to harboring hatred toward Shapiro and acknowledged that his actions could have harmed the governor and others inside the home, according to the probable cause affidavit obtained by NBC News.
What People Are Saying
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, during a news conference on Sunday: “This type of violence is not OK. This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society. And I don’t give a damn if it’s coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another or one particular person or another. It is not OK, and it has to stop. We have to be better than this.”
What Happens Next
Authorities said Monday that Balmer was transported to a hospital for treatment related to a medical issue not connected to the attack or his arrest. No additional details have been released on his condition.
State police said he will be transported to the Dauphin County Prison for arraignment after his release. He faces multiple charges, including attempted homicide, terrorism, aggravated arson, aggravated assault and burglary. The fire caused substantial damage to the governor’s residence, destroying parts of the south wing, including areas used for entertaining and official functions.
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