New details are emerging about the alleged arsonist accused of setting the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion on fire early Sunday morning while Governor Shapiro and his family were inside, offering insight into a potential motive. 

Cody Balmer, 38, was arrested Sunday in connection with the fire at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that forced Mr. Shapiro and his family to evacuate their home in the middle of the night. No injuries were reported, according to state police. 

The blaze left the historic house — where he had hosted guests for Passover just hours before — significantly damaged. Dramatic photographs shared by Mr. Shapiro show the interior of the neo-Georgian mansion covered in black ash, with much of the furniture in tatters, and the windows blown out.

Several of Mr. Balmer’s posts on social media offer a glimpse into his disdain for President Biden and the Democratic party. “Biden supporters shouldn’t exist,” he shared on Facebook in January 2021. “Where were you his first run? Well aware of the trash he is. As for the second, still knew what scum he is. Now why did y’all forget? What, because he did?” In another post he wrote: “RIP Joe Biden… whoops that’s in May. #notmypresident.” 

One meme shared on his account in September 2021 appears to critique the administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. The meme shows Mr. Biden sitting in a car with the caption: “Get in, loser. We’re leaving Afghanistan.” The second image in the meme shows Mr. Biden driving off “without you.” 

In March 2021 Mr. Balmer wrote that “five dollars was gas money when Trump was president.” That same month he shared a picture of himself with the text “Joe Biden owes me 2 grand” superimposed on the image.

Sources familiar with Mr. Balmer said that the suspect’s grievances with the Democratic party were related to his financial issues, ABC reports. Mr. Balmer’s Harrisburg property was subject to foreclosure, according to a writ of execution issued by Dauphin County’s Court of Common Pleas. 

Mr. Balmer’s mother, Christie Balmer, insists that her son is “mentally ill” and that the attack occurred after he “went off his medication,” she told CBS. Ms. Balmer says that she called four different police departments to try to get her son “picked up” but that she “couldn’t get anybody to help.” 

Mr. Balmer turned himself in to police and faces eight charges, including attempted murder, terrorism, burglary, aggravated assault, and aggravated arson. Pennsylvania officials said on Monday that Mr. Balmer is currently being treated for a “medical event not related to this incident or his arrest” and will be arraigned following his discharge from the hospital. 

The suspect allegedly threw two Molotov cocktails into the mansion after breaking a window with a hammer. While Mr. Balmer was in custody, the suspect admitted to the police that he was “harboring hatred” toward Mr. Shapiro and that he would have beaten the Pennsylvania governor with a hammer if he had found him.

Authorities have described that attack as “targeted” but have not offered an official motive. Investigators have not ruled out Mr. Shapiro’s Jewish faith as a potential motivating factor, ABC News reported. The Pennsylvania governor addressed the potential connection between the attack and his religious identity during a press conference on Sunday, vowing not to let the incident “deter” him from celebrating his faith “openly and proudly.” 

“If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community, who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night, hear me on this: We celebrated our faith last night, proudly, and in a few hours, we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover,” Mr. Shapiro said.