What we learn about suspect in arson at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence

The assault

Balmer was caught on safety cameras each inside and outdoors the residence, officers mentioned. He was seen sporting a black instruments jacket and black boots and carrying a bag.

Safety video confirmed the intruder climbing over an exterior fence, approaching the piano room home windows on the south facet of the house and breaking an exterior window with a hammer, the legal affidavit mentioned. He then threw a Molotov cocktail inside. Shortly afterward, flames have been seen within the inside of the house, the possible trigger affidavit says.

The intruder then moved to an adjoining window, broke the glass and entered the house by way of the window, the affidavit says. Inside, he deployed a second incendiary system within the eating room, which spurred one other hearth.

The affidavit says Balmer then moved towards the eating room exit. Video confirmed him sporting two gloves of various colours — one orange and one yellow. The intruder was seen kicking the eating room door open and exiting the residence. He left the property in the identical course he entered, climbing again over the perimeter fence, operating by way of a parking zone and fleeing the residence in a southeast course, the affidavit says.

Investigators discovered two damaged glass beer bottles containing gasoline within the eating room.

Shapiro, who’s Jewish, had shared Passover well-wishes on-line Saturday night simply hours earlier than the assault.

He condemned the assault, saying: “This sort of violence will not be OK. … I don’t give a rattling if it’s coming from one specific facet or the opposite, directed at one specific get together or one other, or one specific particular person or one other. It isn’t OK, and it has to cease.”

Turning himself in

State police in Harrisburg have been contacted by a lady who mentioned she was an ex of Balmer, authorities mentioned. She mentioned Balmer confessed to the act and “wished her to name police to show him in,” the affidavit says. 

A short while later, Balmer approached a state police trooper on the division headquarters, authorities mentioned. He mentioned he was “accountable” for the fireplace and “wished to show himself in,” they mentioned. He was transported to the state police workplace in Harrisburg, the place he was interviewed and confessed his ailing emotions towards Shapiro, the affidavit says. 

He instructed investigators that he eliminated gasoline from a garden mower and poured it into beer bottles he discovered at his dwelling, then walked for an hour to the Governor’s Residence with the intention of throwing the selfmade Molotov cocktails into the house, authorities mentioned. 

Balmer lives in Penbrook, a borough adjoining to Harrisburg, in a house about 3.5 miles from the Governor’s Residence.

Balmer additionally instructed investigators he was conscious his actions would lead to “damaging penalties” and knew it was potential that Shapiro and others have been dwelling and will have been harmed, based on the affidavit.

Suspect gave the impression to be crucial of the federal government on-line

Balmer additionally labored as a mechanic. Kindermans Auto Restore, a store in Harrisburg, wrote Sunday on Fb that he’s a former worker who hasn’t labored there in additional than two years.

It mentioned Sunday on Fb, “Whereas we’re saddened to be taught of those present prices, we totally assist our women and men in regulation enforcement.”

Balmer was a building tools repairer within the Military Reserve from April 2004 to June 2012, a U.S. Military spokesperson instructed NBC Information. He had no deployments.

Balmer’s social media presence suggests he held staunch anti-government views. He usually posted memes urging individuals to “turn out to be ungovernable” and reposted an art work of a Molotov cocktail in 2022 with the slogan “Be the sunshine you wish to see on the earth.”

He posted damaging content material about President Joe Biden and appeared to reject Biden’s 2020 presidential win. He shared posts on Fb criticizing Biden throughout his time period, together with an image with the textual content “Joe Biden owes me 2 grand” and a publish that mentioned, “Biden supporters shouldn’t exist.”

He additionally shared a meme in 2020 that argued that each Democrats and Republicans “would moderately argue with apart from work to unravel the issues we face.” It isn’t clear what his political affiliation is.

A Penbrook resident, who wished to be recognized solely as Tim, mentioned he has seen Balmer within the neighborhood since Balmer and his mother and father moved close by just a few months in the past.

“I by no means, by no means talked to the man,” he mentioned. “By no means mentioned hello to him. Appeared like a little bit of a creep, so I simply by no means took the initiative. I suppose he simply postpone these vibes.”

Balmer has confronted legal prices earlier than.

He pleaded responsible to forgery and theft in 2015 and once more to forgery in 2016 in Pennsylvania, courtroom information present. In 2015, Harrisburg cops alleged he altered a paycheck to another person to make it seem to have been made out to him for an elevated quantity, greater than $2,700, based on the affidavit filed as a part of the legal grievance within the case.

He was additionally charged with assault in 2023 in a case that’s nonetheless open.

President Donald Trump briefly spoke in regards to the assault from the White Home on Monday, the place he mentioned the suspect was “most likely only a wack job.”

“The attacker was not a fan of Trump. I perceive, simply from what I learn and from what I’ve been instructed, the attacker mainly wasn’t a fan of anyone,” Trump mentioned. “Actually a factor like that can not be allowed to occur.”

Biden mentioned Monday on X: “Jill and I are disgusted by the assault on the Shapiro household and their dwelling through the first night time of Passover. We’re relieved that they’re secure and grateful to the primary responders. There isn’t a place for such a evil in America, and as I instructed the Governor yesterday, we should stand united in opposition to hatred and violence.”