Security Footage Shows Arsonist Torching Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Home
Security camera video made public shows 38-year-old Cody Balmer carrying out a coordinated arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence, according to authorities. The footage captures the suspect breaching the property and deploying multiple incendiary devices aimed at the house. Investigators later identified those devices as Molotov cocktails.
The tape shows Balmer moving along the exterior and hurling burning containers through windows in rapid succession, then circling to another side and repeating the assault. Neighbors and responding officers described flames and heavy smoke as the blaze spread through rooms near where guests had been gathered earlier that night. The exterior attack was just the opening act of a more dangerous intrusion caught by interior cameras.
Interior footage documents Balmer trying to force entry by kicking down several doors on the ground floor, then tossing burning bottles into rooms where tables and linens sat. Some of those tossed Molotovs landed on tablecloths and small furnishings, igniting fast and filling hallways with smoke, while guests scrambled to evacuate. After starting multiple fires inside, the footage shows Balmer walking back out and leaving the property on foot.
The attack happened in the early hours of April 13 after Balmer scaled a security fence to reach the mansion grounds. The governor, his wife, three of their children and about 15 guests had been inside following a Passover Seder, according to law enforcement summaries. Those inside were confronted with alarms, smoke and the urgent need to get out while first responders closed in.
Remarkably, everyone inside escaped without fatal injury, though several people were treated for smoke inhalation and the home suffered significant fire and smoke damage that will require extensive repairs. Balmer later called 911 and identified himself as the person responsible for the attack, telling operators he had intended to confront the governor directly. He also told authorities he planned to attack the governor with a hammer if given the chance, a statement that investigators said increased the severity of the charges against him.
On October 14 Balmer pleaded guilty to a slate of offenses including attempted murder, multiple counts of arson and aggravated arson, burglary, reckless endangerment, and terrorism under a state plea deal. The court accepted a sentence range of 25 to 50 years in prison, which places his earliest parole eligibility in his 60s given his current age. Prosecutors emphasized that the combined arson and attempted murder counts, plus the terror-related charge, reflected both the method and motive behind the home invasion.
The incident is one of several recent attacks targeting public officials and their families, a pattern that has unsettled communities across the country and prompted renewed discussion about protection for elected leaders. From a conservative perspective this case underscores the need for robust law enforcement response, strict sentencing for politically motivated violence, and clearer protections for private citizens who find themselves targeted by extremists. Lawmakers and local authorities now face pressure to translate outrage into concrete security and legal measures that prevent copycat violence without eroding civil liberties.
As investigators and prosecutors continue to piece together motive and contacts, the focus remains on accountability and prevention so families and officials can carry out public duties without fear of violent disruption. The footage and court records together provide a stark record of what happened that night and the heavy penalties now attached to such attacks. Community leaders say the priority should be ensuring safety and deterring similar plots in the future.
