Pro-Palestinian Activist Pleads Guilty in Plot To Kill Josh Shapiro, Burn Down Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion

The man who set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion in April while Governor Josh Shapiro and his family slept inside has pleaded guilty to attempted murder, arson, and other charges.Mr. Shapiro, his wife, their four children, and another family had celebrated a Passover seder and were inside the Harrisburg home when they were awakened by state troopers and quickly evacuated without injury.Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg had surveyed the property and then climbed a high fence surrounding it in the early morning hours of April 13. He carried a bag with two Molotov cocktails, handheld incendiary devices filled with gasoline, and a sledgehammer.Balmer used the sledgehammer to smash a window and threw a flaming Molotov cocktail inside, starting a fire. He then broke another window and entered the home while holding the second Molotov cocktail.Surveillance video from inside the home showed Balmer hammering on two doors, including one leading to where the governor’s family and guests slept, but he failed to break through. He threw the second Molotov cocktail into a dining area, starting another fire, before fleeing the scene.There were a total of 22 people in the home including two state troopers. The fires caused extensive damage to a portion of the residence.Balmer called 911 after the incident and told operators that he wanted Mr. Shapiro to know that he “will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people.”State police arrested Balmer at his home a short time later and he confessed. He admitted that he targeted the governor’s residence and specifically Mr. Shapiro. Balmer said that if he had found Mr. Shapiro, he would have attacked him with the sledgehammer.Mr. Shapiro, the third Jewish governor in the history of Pennsylvania, addressed the connection between the attack and his religious identity during a press conference hours after the attack, vowing not to let the incident “deter” him from celebrating his faith “openly and proudly.”“Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished,” Mr. Shapiro said. “Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities. Last night, they did so for our family — and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe.”Balmer pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Mr. Shapiro, along with 22 counts of arson related to the number of people in the home, and a burglary charge. Judge Deborah E. Curcillo accepted the plea agreement Tuesday and sentenced Balmer to 25 to 50 years in prison.Balmer will not be eligible to apply for parole until he is 63 years old. If he is paroled, Balmer would remain under supervision until he is 88 years old.

Pro-Palestinian Activist Pleads Guilty in Plot To Kill Josh Shapiro, Burn Down Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion

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