HARRISBURG — Newly released video shows the moment a man set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion while Gov. Josh Shapiro was inside with his wife, children and guests.
The new videos released by the court show Balmer storming through the residence while the Shapiros and guests slept after participating in a Passover Seder, kicking doors while smoke starts to fill the room. Behind those doors is where he thought Shapiro and his family were sleeping, but he couldn’t get through.
In another clip, he’s seen throwing two Molotov cocktails in the ballroom.
In another clip, taken from outside the residence, Balmer is seen lighting another large fire in a window.
Cody Balmer on Tuesday pleaded guilty to attempted murder, terrorism, arson and other charges for the April 13 attack that caused millions of dollars in damage to the state-owned residence. Everyone inside the residence was evacuated safely.
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During that hearing, Shapiro and his wife provided a victim impact statement, which touched on “fear and anxiety” the attack has caused for them and added stress it created for their children.
Balmer was subsequently sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison.
Shapiro, in a news conference, said he supports the plea deal. He also spoke on the impact of political violence, something he said often came up when other leaders reached out after the attack.
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This isn’t the first time Shapiro has spoken publicly about the ramifications of political violence. It was the focus of his keynote address at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit in Pittsburgh last month.
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