The man charged with setting fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s residence called 911 about an hour after the attack and told dispatchers that Gov. Josh Shapiro should know he “will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people,” per search warrants.
The big picture: Though a motive hasn’t been announced in the case, investigators say in the police records, released Wednesday, that the call sheds light on what might have driven Cody Balmer the morning of the fire.
The latest: Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, said in a call to Dauphin County 911 early Sunday that “our people have been put through too much by that monster,” per the warrants.
- Before hanging up, he reportedly said: “You all know where to find me. I’m not hiding, and I will confess to everything that I had done.”
State of play: Police obtained warrants to search Balmer’s storage unit, electronic devices and his parents’ home, where he had been living, per the records.
- Police also want to collect Balmer’s DNA to compare against evidence they’ve already collected during their investigation, including gloves, a hammer and broken beer bottles they say were used in the attack.
- Police have seized several smartphones, a laptop and an external drive, per the records.
Catch up quick: Balmer is accused of scaling a fence, breaking windows and hurling homemade Molotov cocktails inside the governor’s mansion, where Shapiro and his family had hosted a Passover celebration the night before.
- Balmer faces several charges, including attempted murder, terrorism and aggravated arson. He is jailed without bail.
- Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo told the Inquirer he’s unlikely to charge Balmer with ethnic intimidation, because it wouldn’t substantially change the case against him. He already faces decades in prison if he’s convicted of the current charges.
- Balmer could also face federal prosecution.
Balmer’s mother told the AP her son suffers from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and that she tried to get him help in the days before the attack.
- Police said they didn’t have the proof that Balmer was a threat to himself or others required to have him involuntarily committed.
Zoom out: Shapiro, who is Jewish, has faced fierce opposition over his views on the Gaza war.
- He previously denounced universities for failing to guarantee the safety of students during pro-Palestinian protests last year.
What’s next: Balmer’s preliminary hearing is set for April 23.
