The man accused of hurling Molotov cocktails into the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence and setting a fire managed to scale a fence, break two windows and enter the mansion, all while state troopers were stationed there to protect Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family.
The suspect, Cody A. Balmer, 38, turned himself in and was arrested for attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, terrorism and other charges, authorities said after the April 13 break-in.
Troopers were able to safely evacuate Shapiro’s family and others in the mansion at the time, but the incident had onlookers questioning how Balmer was able to evade security. That’s a key question investigators said they are working to determine.
“He actively evaded troopers who were here to secure the residence even while they were searching for him on the property,” Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said at a news conference, adding that a security review was underway to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
What we know about Gov. Shapiro’s security detail
Pennsylvania State Troopers were on duty the night of the fire, according to an affidavit for Balmer’s arrest. Security cameras on the grounds caught much of the incident. Shapiro, Pennsylvania’s third Jewish governor, rose to prominence as an outspoken Democratic governor and was reportedly shortlisted as a potential vice presidential running mate for the Kamala Harris campaign in 2014. He has been governor of Pennsylvania since 2023. He and his family hosted a celebration for the start of the Jewish holiday Passover hours before the arson.
The Pennsylvania State Police is tasked with protecting the governor, lieutenant governor and their families under a special team called the Executive Services Office, according to 2017 report from the state’s Legislative Budget and Finance Committee first reported on by Spotlight PA. State police troopers assigned to this office also provide transportation for the state’s executive officials and security for visiting dignitaries. There are about two dozen members assigned to the Executive Services team, according to 2017 and 2020 reports from the committee.
While on duty at the mansion, troopers patrol the grounds and watch over security cameras, according to a 2011 report by the Patriot-News.
The protective and transportation services have been in place for the governor and lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania for decades, with the Executive Services division created in 1942. In a shocking move in 2017, then-Gov. Tom Wolf stripped Lt. Gov. Mike Stack of state police protection after allegations Stack and his wife had mistreated state employees, the Associated Press reported.
The Pennsylvania State Police declined to answer questions about the security detail, citing “operational security concerns” in an email to USA TODAY.
How did arson suspect get past state police?
Authorities said security cameras revealed Balmer’s movements the night of the attack.
He was seen climbing over a perimeter fence south of the mansion, according to the affidavit. He broke a window to a piano room using a hammer he brought with him, then threw a Molotov cocktail inside, “igniting a substantial fire within,” the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office said. Then, he moved to another window and broke the glass, then entered the residence through it. He started more fires using Molotov cocktails inside, kicked open a dining room door and exited. He left the property the way he came, over the fence.
Balmer was able to carry out the attack even after state troopers knew there was an intruder, Bevins said.
“We knew that there had been a breach,” he told reporters. “While (troopers) were searching is when he attacked at the residence, broke in and set the fries. So that was all playing out over a period of several minutes. It was a very quick event that occurred.”
Shapiro said he was awakened by state troopers banging on the door at about 2 a.m. and the family was safely evacuated.
Security experts including former State Police Commissioner Glenn Walp told NBC News the incident revealed a breakdown of security measures that must be investigated and corrected.
“I was surprised, alarmed, and, quite frankly, I couldn’t believe that happened,” Walp told the outlet. “From a professional security perspective, the fact that the individual was able to scale the fence and do what he did, that’s not security.”
How are governors protected from threats?
Each state oversees the protection of its own governor, lieutenant governor and their families. In general, they are protected by special state police “executive protection” teams that usually accompany them on trips and stand guard at their homes.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said after the attack on Shapiro that security was top of his mind, ABC News affiliate WLS-TV reported. The Illinois State Police are also in charge of his security.
“I can’t say specifically the kinds of security measures that they’ll take that are new and different. What I can say is that there is heightened sensitivity to the idea of an invasion by people of those grounds,” Pritzker said of the governor’s mansion.
Governors sometimes come under threat of violence, but it’s rare for perpetrators to get as close as they did in Pennsylvania. In 2023, a man was arrested for making threats against Shapiro, KDKA reported.
In 2020, an elaborate and violent plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer by over a dozen people was foiled by authorities. Her residence had been breached before, too; in 2019, an intruder broke into cars parked there.
“No one—no public servant, no family—should ever be targeted for doing their job or standing up for what they believe in,” Whitmer said in a post on social media after the fire at Shapiro’s residence. “Thank you to the first responders whose quick, courageous action protected the Shapiro family.
Contributing: John Bacon and Christopher Cann, USA TODAY
