Suspect Cites Gaza War Views as Motivation for Arson at Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence

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A man accused of setting fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s official residence has reportedly said he was driven by political and personal opposition to the governor’s stance on the conflict in Gaza. Cody Balmer, the suspect in the case, allegedly told 911 dispatchers that he targeted Governor Josh Shapiro because of his perceived role in the suffering of Palestinians.

 

According to a report from PennLive, which obtained the search warrant connected to the case, Balmer called 911 in the early hours of Sunday morning following the fire. During the call, he stated that Governor Shapiro "needs to know he will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people." The statements suggest that Balmer viewed the attack as a form of political retaliation, tied closely to international issues and Shapiro's position on them.

 

CNN has not independently verified the contents of the search warrant, but a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Courts confirmed the existence of the warrant in an email on Tuesday evening. “It was not released by my office or court administration,” the spokesperson clarified. “Once we have anything that is docketed, we will send them out immediately.” CNN has reached out to the Dauphin County District Attorney’s office and the Pennsylvania State Police for further comment.

 

 

The report from PennLive also notes that during the 911 call, Balmer expressed personal anguish, saying Shapiro needed to “stop having my friends killed,” and accusing the governor of being responsible for the suffering of his community. “Our people have been put through too much by that monster,” he reportedly said. The warrant adds that Balmer’s tone and rhythm during the call suggested he may have been “possibly reading from a script.”

 

While authorities are still investigating Balmer’s motives, Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo stated that law enforcement has not yet determined whether hate or antisemitism played a definitive role in the alleged arson. “I can’t speak to it directly because it’s not of record,” Chardo said during an interview with CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Monday. However, he added, “We’re looking at the possibility that it was geared towards the governor’s religion and his views on Israel.”

 

The attack occurred just hours after Governor Shapiro had gathered with his family and members of the Jewish community to observe Passover. Speaking at a news conference the following day, Shapiro addressed the incident with a firm message of resilience and faith. “If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community, who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night, hear me on this: we celebrated our faith last night, proudly and in a few hours, we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover,” the governor declared.

 

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have yet to release further details about the potential charges Balmer may face or whether any additional suspects are involved.

 

Based on a report by CNN  2025-04-16

 

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