Around 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro and his family were woken up by a member of their security team banging on their door. Their home, the state-owned official governor’s residence, was on fire. A state trooper “told us we had an emergency and needed to leave immediately,” Shapiro said at a press conference on Sunday. The cause was later determined to be an arson attack. The governor, his wife, children, and visiting family members were all safely evacuated from the home.

That same day, police arrested a man named Cody Balmer, who was charged with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, and other related offenses. According to The New York Times, Balmer admitted to starting the fire and said he harbored “hatred towards Governor Shapiro,” though officials have yet to share an official motive. In the Sunday news conferences, Shapiro condemned political violence against any party. Further, he and his family had hosted a Passover seder at the home the evening before and said that the attack would not discourage him from celebrating his faith. “No one will deter me or my family or any Pennsylvanian from celebrating their faith openly and proudly,” he said.

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro at a news conference on Sunday morning.

Photo: Kyle Mazza/Anadolu/Getty Images

A planned attack

According to surveillance footage, Balmer entered the home by breaking a window on the south side of the residence, then throwing a Molotov cocktail into the room. Balmer then broke a window on the east side, entered the house, and threw a second Molotov cocktail. Videos show the suspect walking through the house and kicking a door before existing the residence and climbing a gate that surrounds the property. The attack lasted just minutes, during which time Balmer successfully evaded security officials. According to an affidavit, Balmer then returned to his own home, where investigators later found a jacket and a bag with a sledgehammer that appeared identical to items seen on surveillance cameras.

Balmer entered the home by breaking multiple windows.

Photo: Kyle Mazza/Anadolu/Getty Images

Later in the day, a woman who was previously in a relationship with Balmer called state police and told them that Balmer had confessed to the crime and had wanted her to turn him in. Shortly after, Balmer turned himself into the police at the department headquarters and was taken into custody and questioned.

According to the Associated Press, Balmer is now being treated at a hospital for an unrelated medical event, though he is still in police custody. His mother told AP that her son has bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and that he wasn’t taking his medicine.

The home was set on fire in the early morning on Sunday, April 13.

Photo: Kyle Mazza/Anadolu/Getty Images

The home’s south wing suffered extensive damage

Though firefighters were able to control the blaze, the home suffered severe damage, particularly the dining room and piano room. “We experienced an attack not just on our family, but on the entire commonwealth of Pennsylvania here at the governor’s residence,” Josh Shapiro said at the news conference.

The south wing of the home was severely damaged.

Photo: Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images

Images of the damaged home show charred walls, floors, and ceilings and destroyed furniture. One of the affected rooms was regularly used to host events, and remnants from the Passover seder were visible in the rubble, including a sign reading “Passover crafts.”

History of the Pennsylvania governor’s residence

The home, which was built in 1968, is a three-story, neo-Georgian-style property designed by Philadelphia architect George M. Ewing. Located in Harrisburg on the Susquehanna River, it has served as the official home for eight Pennsylvania governors and their families and is the fourth official residence for the state. Pennsylvania is one of 45 states with a governor’s mansion, the first of which was purchased in 1858 by then-governor James Pollock.

The governor’s mansion is surrounded by an iron fence and includes a constant security team, even when the governor is not present.

Photo: Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images

The lower level of the mansion, which was most affected by the fire, is typically open to guests and tours. It holds two Steinway grand pianos and an extensive art collection, including permanent and rotating exhibits. The three-acre property also includes a number of landscaped gardens and lawns, including one, known as Penn’s Woods, that is an educational green space with historically significant, Pennsylvania-native plants.