Suspected arsonist Cody Balmer—who stands accused of firebombing Pennsylvania Governor’s Josh Shapiro‘s residence—pulled “sick faces” to news cameras after he appeared in court Monday.
The 38 year old rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue as he was led, handcuffed, away from the Dauphin County Magisterial District Courthouse to a waiting Pennsylvania State Police car.
Newsweek has reached out to Pennsylvania State Police by email for comment.
Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images
Why It Matters
Balmer was arrested on Sunday and charged with a string of offenses, just hours after a 2.00 a.m. blaze tore through Shapiro’s home in Harrisburg on Sunday as he and his wife and children slept inside.
The family, who are Jewish, had gone to bed after earlier enjoying the first night of Passover celebrations, but were woken by police and forced to flee for their lives as the fire spread.
The motive for the alleged attack remains unclear, but a police affidavit, per the BBC, claimed Balmer, of Harrisburg, admitted “harboring hatred” for Shapiro and planned to attack him with a hammer if he had come across him inside the property.
What To Know
Several reporters tried to question Balmer as he was led out of the courthouse, but the suspect remained silent, only breaking his impassive stare by rolling his eyes upward into the back of his head and pushing out his tongue to cover his chin. He continued walking but held the disturbing expression for a couple of seconds before being helped into the back seat of the car by a trooper.
Photos and video clips of Balmer’s bizarre behavior swiftly spread online.
News Nation correspondent Rich McHugh shared footage from the scene on X (formerly Twitter), with a 24-second clip that was viewed more than 5,800 times.
An X user with the name Karli Bonne’ shared a photograph of the courthouse incident alongside Balmer’s mug shot with the caption: “Well he’s a real beauty- Pa. arson suspect Cody Balmer pulls sick faces as he’s marched into court for firebombing Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion.”
Her post was also viewed over 5,800 times, with dozens of fellow X users reposting the image.
Well he’s a real beauty- Pa. arson suspect Cody Balmer pulls sick faces as he’s marched into court for firebombing Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion pic.twitter.com/TwG5IJ0RWw
— Karli Bonne’ 🇺🇸 (@KarluskaP) April 14, 2025
Balmer had allegedly walked an hour from his home to reach the governor’s residence in the early hours of Sunday. He is accused of using a hammer to break two windows before hurling Molotov cocktails inside to spark the blaze.
An ex-girlfriend reportedly contacted police to allege he was responsible for the attack, and state troopers launched a search for him. Balmer later turned himself in and now faces charges of attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, aggravated assault and burglary.
A Facebook account that appears to belong to Balmer has previously espoused political views criticizing both former Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican President Donald Trump.
Photos released by Shapiro’s office revealed the scale of the damage to the 29,000-square-foot Georgian-style brick home, which was built in 1968 and has been home to eight governors and their families. Wallpaper had burned away from the walls, fixtures and fittings had melted into toxic puddles, furniture was reduced to charred lumps, while a carpet of ash blanketed the floor. Remnants of the home’s former glory could be glimpsed in the blackened shell of a grand piano or a smoke-damaged chandelier
Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline told reporters on Monday that the damage to the historic residence will likely run into the millions.
Commonwealth Media Services
What People Are Saying
In an interview with CBS, Balmer’s mother, Christie Balmer, said her son had struggled with his mental health and had recently stopped taking psychiatric medication. “So he was mentally ill, went off his meds, and this is what happened,” she said.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat who is often tipped as a future leader of his party, said he was “obviously emotional” after the attack, in comments made during a press conference on Monday. In the briefing outside the property, he added: “This type of violence is not OK. 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 at one particular person or another, it has to stop. We have to be better than this.”
What Happens Next
Balmer was denied bail and his next court appearance is scheduled for April 23.
Shapiro and his family continue to recover from their ordeal and officials will begin the long process of repairing the extensive damage to the governor’s residence.