Governor's mansion arson suspect was angry about Gaza War, Pennsylvania police say
npr.orgPublished: 4/16/2025
Summary
A suspect has been arrested for allegedly setting fire to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's mansion while Shapiro and his family were inside. The suspect, Cody Balmer, expressed anger over the Gaza War during a 911 call after the incident. He claimed friends had been killed and that the governor was complicit in harm against Palestinians. Shapiro, who is Jewish and supports a two-state solution for Israel-Palestine, has faced criticism for past comments on the conflict. Balmer broke into the residence by scaling a fence, breaking windows, and using homemade firebombs. He later turned himself in to authorities.