The suspect’s 911 call after arson in Pennsylvania’s governor’s mansion appears to be exacerbated by the Gaza war

The suspect in the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion arson allegedly caught fire at the residence after he explained that he was inspired by the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza.

Cody Balmer, 38, was charged with attempted murder, arson, theft, terrorism and related crimes, allegedly setting fires on the residence of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro on Sunday.

According to the audio obtained by Fox 29, he admitted in a 911 call allegedly declared by Balmer that he caught fire at the residence because Jews were “that Jews wanted to do to the Palestinian people.”

Suspicious Pennsylvania arsonist may be an inspiration for the war in Gaza: Police

Before Balmer explained that there was no emergency, the dispatcher first asked for an emergency.

“Well, I really have no emergency. I want to apologize. Governor Josh Shapiro needs to know that Cody Balmer is not going to be in the plan for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people,” Balmer said on the phone. “He needs to leave my family alone. He needs to turn his eyes to my daughter. He needs to stop having my friends kill my friends like he killed Manny two weeks ago or Saturday last week.”

“Our people have been through too much by that monster,” Balmer told the dispatcher. “All he has is a banquet hall to be cleaned up. I’m tired of providing an extension of peace. I just want to be able to provide for my children. I shouldn’t be brought to these extremes. It’s unfair. I hope anyone doesn’t hurt anyone. But that man…that man, his serious harm to himself, may be your own serious harm.

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Cody Balmer, 38, is charged with attempted murder, arson, theft, terrorism and related crimes, allegedly allegedly opening fire on the governor of Governor Josh Shapiro, whose state governor on April 13, 2025, the governor’s mansion. (Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office)

“Everyone knows where to find me. I’m not hiding, I’ll admit to everything I’ve done,” Balmer added.

Similar to the 911 call, a search warrant for Balmer’s equipment revealed that Balmer’s target was the governor “what he wants to do to the Palestinian people.” According to the arrest warrant, state police CPL. Benjamin Forsythe said the suspect’s target was Shapiro’s “injustice against the Palestinian people”. Forsyth also pointed out that the governor’s Jewish belief was a possible motivation for the attack without elaboration.

Another guarantee details Balmer’s interview with state police, who allegedly admitted to “having hatred for Shapiro”. Balmer also reportedly admitted to a soldier that he was responsible for the arson attack and said he planned to find the governor in the mansion, who planned to attack Shapiro with a hammer.

Pennsylvania Governor’s mansion and Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence saw severe fire damage at a press conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on April 13, 2025. (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)

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Surveillance video described in a warrant showed Balmer breaking windows at the governor’s residence before throwing a “burning device” inside. According to the warrant, Balmer then broke another window, entered the residence and deployed another combustion device before “approaching the dining room exit.”

The warrant also said a woman – who appeared to be identified as Balmer’s “former Paramore” – said he admitted to the attack and asked her to call police to hand him in.

“This kind of violence has become too common in our society,” Shapiro said in a press conference. “And if it comes from one particular party or the other, it is directed to a particular political party, or another person or another person or another person. It’s bad, it has to stop. We have to be better than that.”

Fox News’s Rachel Wolf contributed to the report.