Pennsylvania
Governor’s Mansion Burned on Passover …
Josh Shapiro, Household Safely Evacuated
Printed
Governor Josh Shapiro and his household had been evacuated from the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence after celebrating Passover when a person allegedly set hearth to the constructing … and, the suspected arsonist is now in custody.
Cody Balmer — a 38-year-old man from Harrisburg, PA — was arrested after cops say he hopped over a fence onto the property and forcibly entered the residence earlier than setting it ablaze.
Photographs of the fireplace injury present the within of this a part of the residence — a big room meant for holding huge gatherings — burned badly … with ashes masking the ground and tables whereas solely a stack of plates within the middle of 1 desk appeared to have survived.
The home windows of the constructing are shattered … although it is unclear if this was brought on by the fireplace or by somebody breaking by them.
Cops allege Balmer introduced a selfmade incendiary system onto the property for assault they declare was rigorously deliberate.
Governor Shapiro advised reporters that he was woken up at his dwelling by state troopers at round 2 AM Sunday morning … who evacuated himself, his spouse, their 4 kids, their two canine and one other household that celebrated Passover — a Jewish vacation commemorating the Israelites exodus from slavery — with them Saturday evening.
Dauphin County District Lawyer Francis Chardo has already introduced Balmer shall be charged with tried homicide, terrorism, tried arson and aggravated assault although that hasn’t been made official but.
Whereas the motivation for the assault is unclear, Governor Shapiro has seemingly indicated that he believes this was completed as a result of he’s Jewish … saying, “After we had been within the state eating room final evening, we advised the story of Passover. I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that somebody tried to placed on me by attacking us as they did final evening.”
The room the place the place they celebrated Passover was the room that was burned.
Final evening on the Governor’s Residence, we skilled an assault not simply on our household, however on the whole Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
This type of violence has develop into far too frequent in our society, and it has to cease. pic.twitter.com/5HP5JSvgfc
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) April 13, 2025
@GovernorShapiro
Shapiro additionally decried political violence in a speech exterior the residence … telling assembled reporters that it would not matter which aspect it perpetrating the violence, it’s by no means OK.
