(TJV) A man accused of scaling a security fence, sneaking past guards, and setting fire to Pennsylvania’s governor’s mansion allegedly told police he planned to attack Gov. Josh Shapiro with a hammer if he had encountered him, according to court documents cited by the Associated Press (AP).

The early Sunday morning incident forced Shapiro, his family, and guests to evacuate the official residence in Harrisburg. No one was injured in the blaze, but the fire caused significant damage to the historic home, the AP reported. Authorities later arrested 38-year-old Cody Balmer, who now faces a slew of charges including attempted homicide, terrorism, aggravated arson, and aggravated assault.

According to police interviews referenced by the AP, Balmer walked an hour from his home to the governor’s residence, carrying a small sledgehammer and homemade Molotov cocktails fashioned from beer bottles and gasoline. A police affidavit quoted by the AP states that Balmer admitted he “harbored hatred towards Governor Shapiro,” though it offered no clear explanation for his motive.

Speaking emotionally at a Sunday evening press conference, Shapiro said he had been observing the Jewish holiday of Passover with his wife, four children, their two dogs, and another family when state troopers rushed in around 2 a.m. to evacuate them.

“We were in the state dining room last night, we told the story of Passover—the story of the Jewish people’s journey from bondage to freedom,” Shapiro said, according to the AP. “I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that someone attempts to put on me by attacking us as they did here last night. I refuse to let anyone who had evil intentions like that stop me from doing the work that I love.”

Shapiro, a rising figure in the Democratic Party and seen by some as a potential 2028 presidential contender, added that the fire was set in the very room where he and his family had just shared a seder meal with members of Harrisburg’s Jewish community.

“This type of violence is not OK,” Shapiro said. “And I don’t give a damn if it’s coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another or one particular person or another. It is not OK, and it has to stop. We have to be better than this.”

Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris identified the suspect as Balmer, a Harrisburg resident with a history of criminal offenses, including assault and forgery. Authorities told the AP that Balmer used gasoline-filled bottles as incendiary devices and spent only about a minute inside the mansion before fleeing the scene. He was arrested later that day in the area. One of Balmer’s most recent listed addresses was condemned in 2022, and it remains unclear whether he currently has legal representation.

The fire left part of the south wing of the residence heavily damaged. Large windows were shattered, doors left ajar, and glass and charred debris scattered across the property. Inside, items like a grand piano and other furniture were blackened and destroyed.

While law enforcement has not publicly confirmed a political motive, social media has exploded with speculation. Online sleuths and political influencers have launched into a flurry of theorizing, trying to determine whether Balmer was aligned with a specific political ideology.

Cody Balmer, the Harrisburg man accused of attempting to burn down the PA Governor’s mansion was according to him “a registered socialist.”

He was neither a Republican or Democrat, and frequently shared links from anarchist accounts on Facebook.

Social media posts also show… pic.twitter.com/xqJOxQMlcz

— Bad Hombre (@joma_gc) April 14, 2025

Given Shapiro’s Democratic affiliation and progressive profile, some have suggested that Balmer may be a right-wing extremist.

HORRIFIC: Cody Balmers case has now taken a disturbing turn as alleged social media posts of Balmer have surfaced, featuring anti-Biden rhetoric and images of him holding rifles. The 38 year-old was arrested and detained for the arson of Governor Shapiros residency. pic.twitter.com/TodMeSGnN6

— xVerronica (@xVerronica) April 14, 2025

This is the actual photo of Cody Balmer. It never said “f*ck Trump.”

I don’t understand why accounts have edited this photo to make him look like a Trump hater when, in reality, he hated everyone.

Facts: Balmer was a registered socialist. He hates both parties, as was apparent… pic.twitter.com/7mzabqNQGu

— Sarah Fields (@SarahisCensored) April 14, 2025

Others have circulated unverified claims that he identified as a socialist and expressed disdain for institutional politics in general. As hashtags like “#MAGAattack” and “#Antifa” trended intermittently throughout the day, competing narratives took shape, but no conclusive evidence has emerged linking Balmer to any particular movement.

BREAKING: Leaked messages from Cody Balmer.. He’s a Democrat. pic.twitter.com/Vlqk7ztmG0

— aka (@akafaceUS) April 14, 2025

At this point, authorities have not indicated that Balmer was politically motivated or affiliated with any organization. Still, the case has already become a lightning rod for partisan rhetoric and broader anxieties over political violence in the U.S.

As Gov. Shapiro summed it up at the press conference, “We don’t know the person’s specific motive yet. But we do know a few truths… We have to be better than this.”