PA Governor Shapiro Targeted by Arson After Passover Meal

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An arsonist set fire to the Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion around 02:00 while Governor Josh Shapiro, his family and guests were asleep after celebrating Passover.

The arsonist climbed over an iron security fence, evaded police and broke in to set the fire. Police pounded on the door around 02:00 to wake up Shapiro, his family and guests and get them out of the building. Firefighters extinguished the blaze but it left significant damage.

Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg was taken into custody later in the day for the crime. He was charged wotj attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault.

Balmer set the fire in the specific room where Shapiro, his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family held their Passover seder earlier in the evening.

Governor Shapiro said this was “an attack not just on our family, but on the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania…. This type of violence is not okay. 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 okay and it has to stop. We have to be better than this. We have a responsibility to all be better.”

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