Newly released surveillance footage has surfaced, capturing an arsonist in the act of setting Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence ablaze with Molotov cocktails last April.

The Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office unveiled the video following Cody Balmer’s guilty plea to several serious charges, including attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, and terrorism. As a result, Balmer received a prison sentence ranging from 25 to 50 years.

Balmer ignited the fire around 2 a.m. on April 13, shortly after Governor Shapiro and his family had celebrated the first night of Passover. At the time of the incident, Shapiro and his family were asleep inside the mansion.

The footage depicts 38-year-old Balmer trespassing onto the property and shattering a glass window of the residence with a sledgehammer. He then hurled a flaming Molotov cocktail through the broken window, initiating the blaze.

The video clearly shows Cody Balmer breaking the initial window of the governor’s mansion and subsequently tossing a Molotov cocktail inside. (Courtesy of Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office)

Balmer uses the sledgehammer to break a second window and climb through to enter the residence, according to the video.

Officials said Cody Balmer tried unsuccessfully to break down a door that led to where Shapiro’s family and guests slept. (Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office )

Balmer was seen striking multiple doors with the sledgehammer but was unable to break through. Officials said one of the doors led to where Shapiro’s family and guests slept.

The suspect, identified as Cody Balmer, is seen throwing a Molotov cocktail in the governor’s mansion on April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office via AP)

While still inside, Balmer is seen throwing a second Molotov cocktail into the dining area, igniting a second fire before running out of the residence through an exit door.

Officials said Cody Balmer was seen leaving the residence after setting it ablaze with two Molotov cocktails. (Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office )

Authorities said at the time of his arrest that “Balmer admitted to harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro.” He allegedly said he planned to attack Shapiro with his hammer if he were to find the governor in the mansion.

The interior of the governor’s mansion sustained extensive fire damage in the arson attack. (Commonwealth Media Services)

Shapiro spoke at a press conference Tuesday following Balmer’s guilty plea, calling for “real accountability for acts of political violence,” while also asking the public to not “grow numb” to such actions.

Cody Balmer is seen leaving the Dauphin County Courthouse on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa.  (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

“Sadly, as you know, our family is not the only ones to experience political violence, violence that is used to try and silence people or intimidate people,” the governor said. “I think it’s important that in this time of rising political violence, that none of us grow numb to it or accept this as the normal course of doing business for elected officials.”