Author Topic: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Family Evacuated After Suspect Sets Fire to Governor’s Mansion  (Read 3134 times)

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Offline mystery-ak

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Family Evacuated After Suspect Sets Fire to Governor’s Mansion
by Jim Hᴏft Apr. 13, 2025 11:00 am


An arsonist allegedly set fire to the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence while Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were asleep inside.

The incident occurred around 2 a.m., prompting a swift response from the Pennsylvania State Police, who safely evacuated the family from the residence. ​

According to the Democrat governor:

    “Last night at about 2AM, my family and I woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg.

    The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was on the scene and while they worked to put out the fire, we were evacuated from the Residence safely by Pennsylvania State Police and assisted by Capitol Police. Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished.

    Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities. Last night, they did so for our family – and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe.

    @PAStatePolice is on the scene leading this investigation and will keep the public updated.”

    Last night at about 2AM, my family and I woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg.

    The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was on the scene and while they worked to put out the fire, we were…

    — Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) April 13, 2025

State police confirmed that the fire was deliberately set, marking a rare and alarming breach of security at the official home of the state’s highest executive.

more
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/04/pennsylvania-gov-josh-shapiro-family-evacuated-after-suspect/
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Offline Wingnut

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Going out on a limb here but I'm guessing the fire was not set by a Jewish supporter of Israel's war on Hamas.
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Kind of an antifa-ish thing to do.
Quote
Arson suspected in fire at Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Harrisburg residence
The fire caused significant damage at the Governor’s Mansion early Sunday morning, and the Shapiro family was evacuated
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Apr 13, 2025
11:15 AM

An arsonist set fire to the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg last night as Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept inside, State Police said Sunday.

Mr. Shapiro and his family were awoken by state troopers pounding on their door after the fire started around 2 a.m., and evacuated the building safely, Mr. Shapiro said.

“Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished,” Mr. Shapiro said in a post on X.

It took firefighters about 20 minutes to put out the blaze, and a portion of the Georgian-style mansion was seriously damaged, police said. Photos posted on the Harrisburg Fire Department’s Facebook page show smoke pouring from the first floor, and blackened wood around one of the building’s windows.

The suspected arson took place just hours after the start of Passover.  ...
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/pennsylvania-gov-josh-shapiro-family-evacuated-from-governors-mansion-after-suspected-arsonist-sets-fire

Quote
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were evacuated safely from the governor’s mansion early Sunday after authorities say a suspected arsonist set fire to the residence.

The fire broke out overnight after Shapiro, considered a potential presidential contender for the Democratic Party in 2028, and his family celebrated the first night of the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Shapiro posted on X that he and his family awoke at about 2 a.m. to police banging on their door after "an arsonist set fire" to the governor’s residence.

"Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished," Shapiro wrote. "Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities. Last night, they did so for our family – and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe."


https://twitter.com/GovernorShapiro/status/1911426722257314092

EXCERPT
aka "nasty degenerate SOB," "worst of the worst at Free Republic," "Garbage Troll," "Neocon Warmonger," "Filthy Piece of Trash," "damn $#%$#@!," "Silly f'er," "POS," "war pig," "neocon scumbag," "insignificant little ankle nipper," "@ss-clown," "neocuck," "termite," "Uniparty Deep stater," "Never Trump sack of dog feces," "avid Bidenista," "filthy Ukrainian," "war whore," "fricking chump," "psychopathic POS," "depraved SOB," "Never Trump Moron," "Lazarus," and "sock puppet."

"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act."  ---George Orwell

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Police say a person is in custody after a suspected arson fire at Pennsylvania governor’s mansion
By  MARC LEVY
Updated 5:55 PM EDT, April 13, 2025

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Police said Sunday a man was arrested and will face charges including attempted murder, terrorism and attempted arson in an early morning fire that badly damaged the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion and forced Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and guests to quickly escape.

Sunday’s announcement came after Shapiro and his family were awakened by state troopers at about 2 a.m. and were evacuated from the official governor’s residence in the state capital of Harrisburg.  ...

Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris identified the man in custody as Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg. Paris emphasized at a Sunday afternoon news conference that the investigation is continuing.  ...

https://apnews.com/article/josh-shapiro-arson-police-fire-pennsylvania-governor-2d17ec60c48f7d4d15123dda60c88699
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Offline Smokin Joe

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Well, house fires suck,no matter who you are, even if the structure is saved.
Smoke and heat extend the scope of the fire, damaging things in other rooms and on other floors, and then there is water damage...
So, prayers up for the Governor and his family, and regardless of their politics, it is good they are safe.

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Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

C S Lewis

Online mountaineer

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Anyone surprised the left is saying (without evidence, yet) the arsonist is "MAGA"?

This supposedly is the guy (photo posted on Facebook by a Pa. radio newsman: https://www.facebook.com/rob.odonnell.37):


This is the arsonist's Facebook page, which will be scrubbed in 3 ... 2 ...
https://www.facebook.com/cody.balmer.9
« Last Edit: April 13, 2025, 06:46:22 pm by mountaineer »
The abnormal is not the normal just because it is prevalent.
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The Patriarch Tree
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This is important. In 2023, Cody Balmer was charged with assault. Recently, he lost his home to foreclosure. His life was in a downward spiral before his (alleged) arson attack on the Pennsylvania goverrnor's mansion.
7:08 PM · Apr 13, 2025

The Patriarch Tree
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So far, those attempting to blame political "radicalization" or "polarization" for Cody Balmer's (alleged) crime are lacking evidence. What we do have evidence of is that Cody Balmer's personal life was in crisis, e.g., lost his house to foreclosure.
7:11 PM · Apr 13, 2025


https://twitter.com/rarh_rabbit/status/1911537221972500685
The abnormal is not the normal just because it is prevalent.
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Offline mystery-ak

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Suspect caught.

https://www.newsweek.com/democrat-governor-pennsylvania-shapiro-residence-set-fire-2059164

Quote
Pennsylvania State Police have opened an investigation, and by Sunday evening had a suspect in custody. The suspect, identified as Cody Balmer, jumped a fence at the Governor's Residence, evaded troopers on site who were looking for him, then broke into the residence and set fire to the building before escaping back over the fence, according to the State Police Commissioner Christopher Paris.

Shapiro thanked the FBI Director Kash Patel for his assistance and support and the efforts of FBI agents to quickly identify and locate the suspect in the Harrisburg area.

Paris revealed that the incident is being investigated as arson and attempted homicide. He identified Balmer as a 38-year-old resident of Harrisburg and said Balmer had homemade incendiary devices in his possession.

"This type of violence is not okay," Shapiro said. "This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society, and I don't care if it's coming from one particular side or the other—directed at one particular party or another, or at one particular person or another: It is not okay, and it has to stop. We have to be better than this."

EXCERPT
aka "nasty degenerate SOB," "worst of the worst at Free Republic," "Garbage Troll," "Neocon Warmonger," "Filthy Piece of Trash," "damn $#%$#@!," "Silly f'er," "POS," "war pig," "neocon scumbag," "insignificant little ankle nipper," "@ss-clown," "neocuck," "termite," "Uniparty Deep stater," "Never Trump sack of dog feces," "avid Bidenista," "filthy Ukrainian," "war whore," "fricking chump," "psychopathic POS," "depraved SOB," "Never Trump Moron," "Lazarus," and "sock puppet."

"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act."  ---George Orwell

Offline Wingnut

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Anyone surprised the left is saying (without evidence, yet) the arsonist is "MAGA"?

This supposedly is the guy (photo posted on Facebook by a Pa. radio newsman: https://www.facebook.com/rob.odonnell.37):


This is the arsonist's Facebook page, which will be scrubbed in 3 ... 2 ...
https://www.facebook.com/cody.balmer.9

Love the minny pigtails.  There is a real ladies man there.  Must be trying to emulate the big Mike look.
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Seems the guy lost his house to foreclosure and it was going to be auctioned off in Sheriff's sale, and he blamed Shapiro for it.
aka "nasty degenerate SOB," "worst of the worst at Free Republic," "Garbage Troll," "Neocon Warmonger," "Filthy Piece of Trash," "damn $#%$#@!," "Silly f'er," "POS," "war pig," "neocon scumbag," "insignificant little ankle nipper," "@ss-clown," "neocuck," "termite," "Uniparty Deep stater," "Never Trump sack of dog feces," "avid Bidenista," "filthy Ukrainian," "war whore," "fricking chump," "psychopathic POS," "depraved SOB," "Never Trump Moron," "Lazarus," and "sock puppet."

"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act."  ---George Orwell

Offline Wingnut

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Quote
That is the narrative you and the MSM will advance.

You ever hear of Occam's Razor, or are conspiracy theories your permanent default setting?
« Last Edit: April 14, 2025, 04:15:12 am by Timber Rattler »
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More details...

https://wcyb.com/news/nation-world/alleged-arsonist-admitted-to-harboring-hatred-toward-governor-josh-shapiro-police-say-fire-governors-mansion-arson-molotov-cocktails-investigation-pennsylvania-state-police-pa?fbclid=IwY2xjawJp4WJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHsrD8sbimBC3dLT1ffIxOkGOA6npyVnQkd6qW8TxKZwNE_ePObTnpZCgW_3L_aem_5lTCnphgSI43G2lU6DQCfQ#

Quote
The man charged with setting fire to the governor's mansion allegedly admitted to police that he harbored "hatred toward Governor Shapiro" and would have beat him with a hammer if he'd been caught, according to charging documents.

Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, is charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, terrorism and related offenses after he allegedly set fire to the governor's mansion early Sunday morning while Gov. Josh Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro were inside.

According to court documents, Balmer turned himself in Sunday to the Pennsylvania State Police Department Headquarters located on Elmerton Avenue.

Troopers wrote that while speaking with investigators, Balmer "admitted to harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro."

He told troopers he took gas from his lawnmower and poured it into Heineken beer bottles before he walked an hour from his home to the governor's mansion, located at 20235 North Front Street, according to charging documents.

Balmer allegedly said he scaled the governor's fence, broke two windows with a hammer, and threw the Molotov cocktails inside.

EXCERPT
aka "nasty degenerate SOB," "worst of the worst at Free Republic," "Garbage Troll," "Neocon Warmonger," "Filthy Piece of Trash," "damn $#%$#@!," "Silly f'er," "POS," "war pig," "neocon scumbag," "insignificant little ankle nipper," "@ss-clown," "neocuck," "termite," "Uniparty Deep stater," "Never Trump sack of dog feces," "avid Bidenista," "filthy Ukrainian," "war whore," "fricking chump," "psychopathic POS," "depraved SOB," "Never Trump Moron," "Lazarus," and "sock puppet."

"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act."  ---George Orwell

Offline MeganC

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Cody Balmer sounds like a typical Democrat who doesn't pay his bills and who hates whoever the people on TV tell him to hate.
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Cody Balmer sounds like a typical Democrat who doesn't pay his bills and who hates whoever the people on TV tell him to hate.

I won't go that far.  I live in South Central Pennsylvania and there are lots of desperate working class guys just like him out there.  COVID plus Biden's terrible economy devastated them, and this guy lost everything, and so he lashed out at Shapiro.
aka "nasty degenerate SOB," "worst of the worst at Free Republic," "Garbage Troll," "Neocon Warmonger," "Filthy Piece of Trash," "damn $#%$#@!," "Silly f'er," "POS," "war pig," "neocon scumbag," "insignificant little ankle nipper," "@ss-clown," "neocuck," "termite," "Uniparty Deep stater," "Never Trump sack of dog feces," "avid Bidenista," "filthy Ukrainian," "war whore," "fricking chump," "psychopathic POS," "depraved SOB," "Never Trump Moron," "Lazarus," and "sock puppet."

"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act."  ---George Orwell

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You ever hear of Occam's Razor, or are conspiracy theories your permanent default setting?

« Last Edit: Today at 04:15:12 am by Timber Rattler »


My apologies to Wingnut.  I never intended to edit his post here, nor would I ever do so as the Pennsylvania Mod unless it was a totally outrageous violation of the board's rules.  I must have hit 'edit' instead of 'reply' or 'quote' in my haste.  Sorry about that.
aka "nasty degenerate SOB," "worst of the worst at Free Republic," "Garbage Troll," "Neocon Warmonger," "Filthy Piece of Trash," "damn $#%$#@!," "Silly f'er," "POS," "war pig," "neocon scumbag," "insignificant little ankle nipper," "@ss-clown," "neocuck," "termite," "Uniparty Deep stater," "Never Trump sack of dog feces," "avid Bidenista," "filthy Ukrainian," "war whore," "fricking chump," "psychopathic POS," "depraved SOB," "Never Trump Moron," "Lazarus," and "sock puppet."

"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act."  ---George Orwell

Offline Wingnut

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My apologies to Wingnut.  I never intended to edit his post here, nor would I ever do so as the Pennsylvania Mod unless it was a totally outrageous violation of the board's rules.  I must have hit 'edit' instead of 'reply' or 'quote' in my haste.  Sorry about that.

When I was a cat Mod here at TBR I made the same mistake in my haste to respond to a post and hit the wrong button.  I understand completely how it happened.   Apology accepted.
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Offline rangerrebew

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BLM-Supporting Socialist Torches PA Governor’s Mansion on Passover—Admits He Wanted to Kill Shapiro
April 15, 20251 comment5 min read

On the first night of Passover, a registered socialist set out to murder Pennsylvania Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro and his family by setting the governor’s mansion on fire. Fortunately, he failed and has since given himself up. There’s no proof it was an antisemitic act, but the timing is telling.


Balmer’s ex-girlfriend said he confessed to the act and “wanted her to call police to turn him in,” an affidavit said.

Attack in the middle of the night
According to Fox News, Cody A. Balmer, 38, walked an hour to get to the governor’s mansion. He scaled the mansion’s fence this weekend. He used a hammer to break a window in the piano room and gain entrance to the home, where he tossed a Molotov cocktail inside, setting the fire, which gutted the residence. He deployed a secondary incendiary device in the dining room. Investigators found two broken beer bottles with gasoline in them in the dining room. It’s a wonder no one was hurt.

Balmer, who is evidently schizophrenic and bipolar, was off his meds.

He has been charged with attempted criminal homicide, aggravated arson, aggravated assault, burglary, domestic terrorism, and other counts as well that are connected to the early Sunday morning attack that took place around 2 a.m., according to the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office.

https://rairfoundation.com/blm-supporting-socialist-torches-pa-governors-mansion-passover/
The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so, for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize. But as it is easy to foresee that, from different causes and from different quarters, much pains will be taken, many artifices employed to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth.  George Washington - Farewell Address

Offline rangerrebew

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If he isn't the poster child for what a true leftist looks like, there never will be one. *bouche*
The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so, for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize. But as it is easy to foresee that, from different causes and from different quarters, much pains will be taken, many artifices employed to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth.  George Washington - Farewell Address

Online mountaineer

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Yep, like all good leftists, this jackwagon hates the Jooos.

Pennsylvania arson suspect allegedly targeted governor over stance on Palestinians

https://twitter.com/JustTheNews/status/1912338482598379796
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Yep, @Wingnut was right about this guy upthread and I was wrong.

 888oops888
aka "nasty degenerate SOB," "worst of the worst at Free Republic," "Garbage Troll," "Neocon Warmonger," "Filthy Piece of Trash," "damn $#%$#@!," "Silly f'er," "POS," "war pig," "neocon scumbag," "insignificant little ankle nipper," "@ss-clown," "neocuck," "termite," "Uniparty Deep stater," "Never Trump sack of dog feces," "avid Bidenista," "filthy Ukrainian," "war whore," "fricking chump," "psychopathic POS," "depraved SOB," "Never Trump Moron," "Lazarus," and "sock puppet."

"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act."  ---George Orwell

Offline GtHawk

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It’s okay, no harm no foul, he’s mentally ill and off his meds they say, so expect him to be deemed mentally unfit for trial.

Offline Smokin Joe

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How God must weep at humans' folly! Stand fast! God knows what he is doing!
Seventeen Techniques for Truth Suppression

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

C S Lewis