Arson Attack on Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion

The Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office shared video footage on Tuesday showing Cody Ballmer allegedly starting a fire at the home of Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro in April.

Ballmer pleaded guilty that same day to multiple charges, including attempted murder, terrorism, and aggravated arson. Four videos capturing the April 13 incident were released by the District Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The videos reveal Ballmer approaching the governor’s residence, breaking a window, and tossing a Molotov cocktail inside, igniting a fire. He is later seen using a sledgehammer to break a second window and entering the home through that opening.

Additional footage reportedly shows Ballmer struggling to break through two doors inside before using another Molotov cocktail to set the dining room ablaze. Allegedly, he then fled the scene, as noted by the District Attorney’s Office.

During the arson, Governor Shapiro, the first lady, three of their children, and 15 guests—including some of Shapiro’s family members—were inside the mansion, along with two Pennsylvania State Police troopers. The District Attorney’s office detailed that this act endangered 22 individuals, eight of whom were children aged between 8 and 16.

Shapiro spoke to reporters after Ballmer’s guilty plea, expressing his distress: “It’s especially difficult to know that he tried to burn our family to death while we were sleeping.” Interestingly, the fire occurred during the Passover holiday, which has personal significance for Shapiro.

Ballmer was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in state prison, according to the information from the district attorney’s office.