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The photos, released by the Commonwealth on Sunday evening, show extensive fire damage throughout the stately Harrisburg mansion’s interior, particularly concentrated near the front entrance. Blackened walls, debris-strewn floors, and scorched furniture paint a harrowing picture of the overnight attack that officials say could have ended in tragedy.
Shapiro, his wife Lori, and their children were safely evacuated by Pennsylvania State Police after troopers pounded on their door to wake them around 2 a.m. Sunday, April 13. Fire crews were able to extinguish the blaze before it spread deeper into the historic building, which sits along North Front Street in Dauphin County.
Photos show a once-pristine foyer now covered in soot, with broken glass and burned debris scattered across the tile floor. Chandelier wiring dangles from a blackened ceiling. Heavy smoke damage is visible in several other rooms.
Authorities said 38-year-old Cody Allen Balmer of Harrisburg scaled a fence with homemade incendiary devices and forcibly entered the property before sparking the fire. Balmer, who describes himself online as a mobile mechanic and father, remains jailed in Dauphin County Prison with no bond set.
He faces charges including Attempted Murder, Terrorism, Aggravated Arson Burglary, and Aggravated Assault Against an Enumerated Person, state police said. You can read more about Balmer’s arrest and criminal background here.
At a press conference, Shapiro called the attack "an attack not just on our family, but on the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."
"If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, or the Jewish community who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night — hear me — no one will deter me or my family or any Pennsylvanian from celebrating their faith openly and proudly," the governor said.
State Police said the investigation remains active, and a full security review is underway. A $10,000 reward is being offered for tips leading to any additional arrests or convictions. Tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-4PA-TIPS.
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