BREAKING UPDATE: Man in custody after fire set at PA Gov Josh Shapiro's home

UPDATE: A man has been arrested after Pennsylvania State Police launched an arson and attempted homicide investigation into a fire set at Governor Josh Shapiro’s home, authorities said. "We are conducting an arson investigation, and we are conducting an attempted homicide and aggravated arson investigation ... I am pleased to announce that we do have an individual in custody,” said Col. Christopher Paris, identifying the suspect as 38-year-old Cody Balmer of Harrisburg.

X user @StopAntisemites posted a photo of Balmer from the suspect's Facebook page. Balmer has claimed to be a "registered socialist" and has also posted in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on social media. 

In 2022, Balmer posted a photo of a needlepoint that said, "Be the light you want to see in the world," with a depiction of a Molotov cocktail, the weapon authorities said he used to light Shapiro's house on fire. 

Although he has posted in support of BLM as well as shared the Molotov cocktail post from an anarchist Facebook page, Balmer has been critical of both Republicans and Democrats. 

This article was updated with suspect details. Original story below.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and his family had to leave their home in the middle of the night after an unknown arsonist set it ablaze.

The fire started around 2 am at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg while Shapiro, his wife, and their children were inside, reports the New York Post. Just hours earlier, Shapiro had shared a photo on social media of his family celebrating the first night of Passover.

The incident is being investigated as arson, according to state police.

“Last night at about 2AM, my family and I woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg,” Shapiro wrote on X.

“The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was on the scene and while they worked to put out the fire, we were evacuated from the Residence safely by Pennsylvania State Police and assisted by Capitol Police. Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished,” he added.

Police said the fire caused a “significant amount of damage” and confirmed it was an “act of arson.” The governor’s family had been sleeping in another part of the house, away from where the fire began.

Shapiro, a Democrat, has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate for 2028. He was also reportedly considered as a potential running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

A $10,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest.

The Governor’s Residence, located at 2035 North Front Street, has housed Pennsylvania’s governors since 1968.