JD Vance Responds to Arson Attack on Josh Shapiro's Home

Vice President JD Vance has called for anyone behind an arsonist attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's home to be "brought swiftly to justice."

Shapiro, a Democrat, said he was awoken by police banging on the door of the governor's residence in Harrisburg about 2 am Saturday morning to alert him to a fire set by an arsonist. He and his family evacuated the building safely.

"Thanks be to God that Governor Shapiro and his family were unharmed in this attack," Vance posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday evening. "Really disgusting violence, and I hope whoever did it is brought swiftly to justice."

The Wider Context

Neither police nor Shapiro have suggested a motive behind the attack.

Shapiro, a former Pennsylvania attorney general, has served as the state's governor since 2023.

He was in contention to be former Vice President Kamala Harris' 2024 running mate, a role which went to Minnestoa Governor Tim Walz. Since Harris and Walz's defeat, Shapiro has regularly been touted as a potential Democratic presidential candidate for 2028.

Shapiro, who is Jewish, said Sunday the fire was started in a room where he and his friends and family had celebrated Passover Seder the night before.

What to Know

Pennsylvania State Police is leading a multi-agency investigation into the attack.

Cody Balmer, 38, has been arrested in connection to the attack. He faces charges of attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, and aggravated assault against an enumerated person, Dauphin County Pennsylvania District Attorney Fran Chardo told reporters on Sunday.

Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Christopher Paris told reporters at a press conference on Sunday that a suspect jumped a fence, about 7-foot tall, at the residence before breaking in and starting the fire

"He clearly had a plan," Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said. added. "He was very methodical in his approach."

Suspect Balmer had homemade incendiary devices in his possession, Paris added.

Photos released by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania show the damage to the 29,000-square-foot Governor's Residence.

The governor and his family were in a different part of the home when the fire took hold, police said. Shapiro and wife, Lori, have four children: Sophia, Jonah, Max and Reuben.

What People Are Saying

Governor Josh Shapiro said during a Sunday press conference: "I don't know the person's specific motive yet, but we do know a few truths. First, this type of violence is not okay. 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 okay, and it has to stop. We have to be better than this."

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in statement on Sunday: "I am deeply relieved that Governor Shapiro and his family are safe, thankful for the first responders who arrived on the scene, and applaud the police work that resulted in an arrest just hours ago."

Asked Sunday night for his reaction, President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One he had "just heard about it" and would "have to look into it."

What Happens Next

Authorities did not immediately say whether Balmer has a lawyer or where he was being held. A security review at the residence is underway, officials said.