3 things to watch in the aftermath of arson attack on Shapiro, family

A central Pennsylvania man has been charged with arson and attempted murder after police say he broke into the governor’s official residence with a hammer and set fire to the building using Molotov cocktails – an incident that has shaken commonwealth leaders and raised questions about how the intruder was able to breach the governor’s residence on Sunday, April 13.

As investigations into the attack continue and more information about the home invasion and arson comes to light, public officials will likely turn to the Pennsylvania State Police – the agency that handles security services for the governor – for answers, while examining what can be done to improve the governor’s security moving forward. 

The past and future of Cody Balmer, the 38-year-old suspect whom police say admitted to breaking into the residence and setting the fires, will also be scrutinized. 

Below, City & State examines some key questions following the attack. 

What’s next for the Pennsylvania State Police?

Shapiro said at a Sunday press conference following the fire that he still has faith in the agency that oversees his security. “I have total confidence in the Pennsylvania State Police to keep us safe,” the governor said. 

State Police officials said Sunday that there would be a “multifaceted review in terms of security measures and the exact timeline of how it happened.” It remains to be seen whether there will be any personnel changes or firings following the attack.

“There is already a security review underway to determine how we can ensure that we don't have a repeat of a situation like this,” Lt. Col. George Bivens, the deputy commissioner of operations for the Pennsylvania State Police, said Sunday. “We look at all aspects – personnel, technical, surveillance equipment, security equipment – all of that will be reviewed and we will do our best to ensure that the governor and his family are safe in this residence.”

Cody Balmer/Dauphin County District Attorney's Office

Cody Balmer’s future

The criminal complaint against Balmer said that the 38-year-old Harrisburg man admitted to “harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro,” adding that Balmer admitted that he scaled a perimeter fence on the property, broke two windows with a hammer and threw Molotov cocktails inside the building. The affidavit says State Police asked Balmer what he would have done if Shapiro found him inside the residence, to which Balmer replied, he would have beaten the governor with his hammer. 

Balmer is facing charges of attempted homicide, aggravated arson, burglary, reckless endangerment, terrorism and aggravated assault, among others. 

Balmer was arrested in 2015 for forging checks and was also arrested in 2023 on assault charges, according to court documents. 

Balmer’s mother, Christie Balmer, told CBS News that her son is “mentally ill and he went off his medication” before the attack, adding that she contacted four different police departments to try and get her son “picked up” last week.

State Police said in a statement Monday morning that Balmer was transported to an area hospital due to a “medical event not connected to this incident or his arrest.” He was later taken to Magisterial District Judge Dale Klein’s office in Harrisburg, where he was arraigned and denied bail, according to a Pennsylvania courts spokesperson. A preliminary hearing in Balmer’s case is scheduled for April 23 at 11 a.m., with the location to be determined. 

What’s next for the governor’s residence?

The governor’s official state residence has undergone extensive renovations in recent years, including $2.6 million in courtyard improvements that were completed in 2022. And, with Shapiro and his family moving into the mansion following his 2022 election win, the Shapiro administration spent thousands in public funds to refurbish the mansion, per reporting from LancasterOnline.

According to The Burg, Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline told reporters on Monday that the governor’s residence did not have a fire suppression system at the time of the attack, and that he hopes a sprinkler system will be installed when the building is ultimately renovated. Enterline suggested that rebuilding efforts will cost millions of dollars. 

Shapiro declined to comment on the details of his security on Sunday, though Tom Sofield, the publisher and owner of LevittownNow.com, posted on social media Monday that both the Pennsylvania State Police and Abington Township Police “have stepped up their presence at Gov. Shapiro’s personal residence in the wake of Sunday's attack.”