Suspect in arson at Pennsylvania governor’s home being treated in hospital

A man who authorities said scaled an iron security fence, eluded police and broke into the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion and set a fire is in custody in hospital after an unrelated medical event, officers said.

Cody Balmer told police he had planned to beat governor Josh Shapiro with a small sledgehammer if he found him, according to court documents. He was being treated in hospital and officers said that was “not connected to this incident or his arrest”.

Balmer’s mother told the Associated Press on Monday that she had tried in recent days to get him assistance for mental health issues, but “nobody would help”. She said her son has bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

“He wasn’t taking his medicine, and that’s all I want to say,” Christie Balmer said at the family home in Harrisburg.

The fire caused significant damage and forced Mr Shapiro, his family and guests to evacuate the building early on Sunday.

The residence, built in 1968, did not have sprinklers, Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said. He estimated the damage could be in the millions of dollars.

Balmer, who was arrested later in the day, faces charges including attempted homicide, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault, authorities said.

He had walked an hour from his home to the governor’s residence, and during a police interview he “admitted to harbouring hatred towards Governor Shapiro”, according to a police affidavit, but it did not explain why.

Afterwards, he returned home where police said they later found clothing he had worn at the time and a small sledgehammer.

Mr Shapiro said he, his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family had celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover at the residence on Saturday and were awakened by state police pounding on their doors at about 2am on Sunday.

They fled and firefighters extinguished the fire, officials said. No one was injured.

At a Sunday evening news conference in front of the badly damaged south wing of the governor’s residence, Pennsylvania State Police Colonel Christopher Paris identified the man in custody as Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg.

Balmer turned himself in after confessing to his “ex-paramour” and asking her to call police, which she did, the affidavit said. Authorities had initially said he was being taken to Dauphin County Prison, but did not say whether he has a lawyer.

Authorities did not disclose the man’s motive, but an emotional Mr Shapiro, who is viewed as a potential White House contender for the Democratic Party in 2028, said he is unbowed.

He said that if Balmer was trying to stop him from doing his job, then he will work harder, and he added that Balmer will not stop him from observing his faith.

“When we were in the state dining room last night, we told the story of Passover” and the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt to freedom, Mr Shapiro said.

“I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that someone attempts to put on me by attacking us as they did here last night. I refuse to let anyone who had evil intentions like that stop me from doing the work that I love.”

Authorities said the suspect climbed a nearly 7ft iron security fence surrounding the property, eluded officers who became aware of the breach and forcibly entered the residence before setting it on fire.

He used beer bottles filled to make petrol bombs, documents say,

Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens said Balmer appeared to have carefully planned the attack, adding that he was inside the residence for about a minute before he escaped. He was later arrested in the area.

Balmer has faced criminal charges over the past decade including simple assault, theft and forgery, according to online criminal court records.

Mr Shapiro said the fire was set in the room where he and his family celebrated Passover with a Seder with members of Harrisburg’s Jewish community on Saturday night.

“We don’t know the person’s specific motive yet,” he told the news conference. “But we do know a few truths.

“First: This type of violence is not OK. This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society. And I don’t give a damn if it’s coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another or one particular person or another. It is not OK, and it has to stop. We have to be better than this.”

President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that Balmer did not appear to be a fan of his either.

“The attacker basically wasn’t a fan of anybody,” he said. “And certainly, a thing like that cannot be allowed to happen.”