According to police, Cody Balmer called the Pennsylvania Democrat, who is Jewish, a ‘monster’ and objected to ‘what he wants to to do the Palestinian people’
April 16, 2025 09:45
By JC Reporter
The main suspect in the attempted arson attack on the family home of Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro has hinted that it was motivated by his pro-Palestine views, according to police.
Cody Balmer, 38, was arrested outside the property after the attack as Shapiro and his family celebrated the first night of Passover. He has been charged with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault and allegedly admitted starting the fire in a police interview.
Cody Balmer accused Shapiro, a vocal Zionist but a critic of the Netanyahu government, of being a 'monster' and suggested he was responsible for the deaths of his 'friends', according to police (Image: Getty)Getty Images
Authorities believe he climbed over a fence to gain access to the home and then planted a homemade incendiary device. Nobody was injured in the attack, though the building was left severely damaged.
Police have now claimed that Balmer told officers that he "will not take part in [Shapiro’s] plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people, according to a search warrant obtained by Penn Live.
The suspect also reportedly told 911 operators that he had to "stop having my friends killed" and said "our people have been put through too much by that monster".
Shapiro has been publicly critical of the Netanyahu government and the nature of Israel’s military action in Gaza, but is also a vocal Zionist and supporter of Israel’s right to defend itself.
Penn Live noted that the warrant suggests that "Balmer's intonation and cadence sounded like he was possibly reading from a script".
"You all know where to find me. I'm not hiding, and I will confess to everything that I had done," the suspect is alleged to have added.
The report added that Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo is still considering whether Balmer should be charged under the state’s hate crime laws, but is of the opinion that his motivation should be taken into account and potentially lead to a harsher sentence if he is convicted.
