‘Disgusting violence’: US Democrat Josh Shapiro’s home set alight while family inside

A top US Democrat and his family were woken up by police in the early hours of the morning and evacuated from their burning home.

A man has been arrested for alleged arson and terrorism after the home of top US Democrat Josh Shapiro was set alight while his family were sleeping inside.

The Pennsylvania Governor – widely viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender – was inside his home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with his family when the blaze broke out in a different part of the property on the first night of Passover on Sunday.

Mr Shapiro said that he and his sleeping family were woken up by a police trooper who “banged on our door” at around 2am local time before they were evacuated from the building.

“While the fire was successfully extinguished, it caused a significant amount of damage to a portion of the residence,” state police said in a statement.

No casualties were reported.

Mr Shapiro said that he and his sleeping family were woken up by a police trooper. Picture: AP/Marc Levy

Speaking to reporters outside the residence, Mr Shapiro made a forceful appeal for an end to political violence.

“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 … it is not OK, and it has to stop,” the 51-year-old said.

Mr Shapiro, who is Jewish, held a ceremony with family and friends earlier in the night to mark the first night of Passover.

While noting the arsonist’s motive was not yet known, Mr Shapiro said he would not be intimidated in observing his faith.

“If he was trying to terrorise our family, our friends, the Jewish community, who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night, hear me on this: we celebrated our faith last night, proudly and in a few hours, we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover,” he said.

Mr Shapiro and his family were evacuated from the building. Picture: Commonwealth Media Services/Governor Shapiro office

Mr Shapiro held a ceremony with family and friends earlier in the night to mark the first night of Passover. Picture: Commonwealth Media Services/Governor Shapiro office

Police said they arrested a man suspected of having carried out the attack, naming him as Cody Balmer.

“Cody Balmer is in custody. We are preparing a criminal complaint to charge him,” said district attorney Fran Chardo, adding that the charges would include “attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault against an enumerated person”.

The term “enumerated person” is usually used for law enforcement officers or other public officials.

Authorities said the 38-year-old accessed the property by climbing over a fence and that he had “homemade incendiary devices” on his person.

He spent several minutes on the property evading police before he broke in and set the fire, top state police officials Christopher Paris and George Bivens said.

Mr Shapiro has made a forceful appeal for an end to political violence. Picture: Commonwealth Media Services/Governor Shapiro office

Police said they arrested a man suspected of having carried out the attack at the property. Picture: Matthew Hatcher/Getty/AFP

‘Disgusting violence’

Top Republican officials reacted to the attack on Sunday afternoon, with US Attorney-General Pam Bondi writing on X she was “deeply relieved that Governor Shapiro and his family are safe.”

Vice President JD Vance called the attack “really disgusting violence” and said he hopes “whoever did it is brought swiftly to justice”.

President Donald Trump said he had just heard about the attack, when asked about it on Sunday night while returning to Washington aboard Air Force One.

Mr Shapiro was in the race to be Democrat Kamala Harris’s running mate in her ultimately unsuccessful US presidential bid- a position that instead went to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

Mr Shapiro, an assertive political centrist, was elected governor of Pennsylvania in 2022 when he faced off against a far-right candidate backed by Mr Trump.

Originally published as ‘Disgusting violence’: US Democrat Josh Shapiro’s home set alight while family inside