A man who allegedly set fire to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence has a criminal record spanning more than a decade.
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.
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.
