Early Sunday morning, April 13, an arson attack rocked the official residence of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro in the city of Harrisburg. The incident, which occurred while the Democratic governor and his family were asleep after celebrating the first night of Pesach, is being investigated as an attempted murder with terrorism aggravating factors.

The suspect, Cody Balmer, 38, was caught on security cameras scaling a perimeter fence, smashing windows and throwing Molotov cocktails made from beer bottles into the building, authorities said in court documents cited by The New York Times and confirmed by AP News.

This is how the attack occurred

According to Pennsylvania State Police, Balmer gained access to the home around 2:00 a.m., while the Shapiro family was in another part of the property. The fire was extinguished without casualties, although it caused "significant damage" to a section of the Georgian-style mansion, AP News reported.

The governor explained that he was awakened by a police officer banging loudly on his bedroom door. "Thank God no one was hurt and the fire was extinguished," he later declared at a press conference in front of his residence, with traces of the fire visible behind him.

The profile of the attacker

According to the official indictment, Balmer faces charges of attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, trespassing at night and other crimes. In his confession to authorities, he said he harbored a "hatred for Shapiro," who is of Jewish descent and has been a prominent figure in national Democratic politics, according to court filings cited by The New York Times.

The suspect also confessed that, had he found the governor inside the house, he would have tried to hit him with a hammer, AFP reported.

The Guardian revealed that Balmer has a criminal record for domestic violence and forgery, as well as a documented history of mental health problems. It was an ex-partner of his who contacted police to alert them that Balmer wanted to turn himself in. Hours later, the man voluntarily presented himself at state police headquarters and confessed his responsibility in the attack, according to the same media outlet.

Political reactions

The attack was condemned by leaders of both parties. Vice President JD Vance called the act a "truly repugnant act of violence" and expressed her desire that "whoever did it be brought swiftly to justice," according to AP News.

For her part, Attorney General Pam Bondi said on social network X that she was "deeply relieved that Governor Shapiro and his family are safe."

President Donald Trump, who survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in 2024, referred to the attacker as a "lunatic," stating that "certainly something like this cannot be allowed."

The possible background to the attack

The attack occurred on a significant date for Governor Shapiro, who had celebrated a traditional Pesach dinner shortly before the attack. Asked about the relationship between the crime and his faith, the governor was emphatic: "I will not stop practicing my faith. I will not be intimidated.

In his public statement, Shapiro called for a halt to political violence in the United States. "This kind of violence is increasingly common in our society, and I don't care which side it comes from...it's not right and it has to stop," he said, according to the quote picked up by The New York Times.

Although the attacker's motivations have not yet been officially confirmed, authorities have not ruled out political or religious hatred as a factor.

Balmer was arraigned without bail and his next court appearance is scheduled for April 23.

With information from AFP