A man named Cody Ballmer is suspected of setting fire to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence early Sunday morning, motivated by anger over the ongoing Gaza conflict. Shortly after the fire, Ballmer called 911, expressing his grievances and mentioning that his friend was killed. He made unclear connections to Palestine and criticized Shapiro. The fire caused significant damage to various rooms in the governor’s residence during a Passover celebration with Shapiro’s family.
Governor Shapiro, a Democrat and Jewish supporter of a two-state solution, condemned the violence following the arson, stating it was not a way to resolve differences. Investigators noted that Ballmer, aged 38, breached the property by bypassing security and used homemade Molotov cocktails to start the fire.
Authorities searched Ballmer’s mother’s house and a storage unit for evidence related to the incident and his mental state. Ballmer’s legal representation mentioned that the allegations might stem from severe mental illness, and he has been denied bail while awaiting a preliminary hearing. He turned himself in to police after initially escaping the scene.
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