Newly revealed video shows the horrifying moment an arsonist firebombed the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro — as the suspect in the attack pleaded guilty to attempted murder and other charges.
Cody Allen Balmer, 38, also entered pleas on charges of terrorism, aggravated arson, burglary, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and loitering in connection with the April attack that caused millions of dollars worth of damage to the Democratic governor’s mansion.
Under a plea deal, Balmer was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the court played footage showing Balmer breaking windows at the Harrisburg mansion and throwing Molotov cocktails inside during the early hours of April 13. He had scaled a fence to breach the property before setting a wing of the home on fire.
Other footage showed Balmer inside the residence — which has been occupied by the past seven governors in the state — attempting, and failing, to force his way through several doors. The videos show Balmer kicking and throwing his body onto the doors, which do not appear to budge, before moving on.
During a press conference held Tuesday, Shapiro said the footage showed Balmer had breached the residence “right up to a door that led to the hallway where we were in our private living quarters.”
“I know those videos are chilling. They have been haunting me for months, I’ve been trying to unsee them for the last six months,” he said, adding that it was impossible for him and his family to be in their home and not think of Balmer and the violent acts he wanted to carry out against him.
“I think we need real accountability for acts of political violence, and today is real accountability for the violence that came here to Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said.
In a 911 call about an hour after starting the fire, Balmer admitted to planning the attack because of Shapiro’s stance on Israel amidst the war with Hamas. Balmer told the dispatcher that he “will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people.”
The governor has said he supports a two-state solution with “Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side-by-side, being able to determine their own futures and their own destiny.”
The night of the attack, the first night of Passover, a Jewish holiday, Shapiro, his family and several guests had celebrated with a Seder. Everyone was asleep at the time of the attack and was forced to evacuate amidst the smoke. No one was injured, though Balmer was slapped with 21 counts of reckless endangerment due to there being so many people in the house at the time.
While the attack coincided with the Jewish holiday, Balmer told the Associated Press in a May letter that Shapiro’s faith had not played a role in his decision.
“He can be Jewish, Muslim, or a purple people eater for all I care as long as he leaves me and mine alone,” Balmer wrote.
The 38-year-old admitted to “haboring hatred” towards Shapiro and said he would’ve beaten him with a hammer if he saw him during the break-in. Balmer, who is from Harrisburg, had a previous charge for allegedly assaulting members of his family.
Days after his arrest, Balmer’s mother said she tried to get him help for mental health issues, but “nobody would help.”
His ex-girlfriend also said that Balmer had stopped taking his medication and was missing just days before the attack, before showing up at his brother’s home during an apparent mental health crisis.
Court proceedings had been delayed while he received mental health treatment, Balmer’s lawyer said.
During a court hearing days after the fire, Balmer told a judge he was an unemployed welder with no income or savings and “a lot of children.”
Shapiro and seven of his predecessors have called the 29,000-square-foot mansion, which also hosts art exhibits and public events, their home. The residence, which was build in 1968, did not have sprinklers.
Officials remain working to fix the building’s damage and improve its security.
With reporting by the Associated Press.
