Former Army reservist admits firebombing Pennsylvania governor's home on Passover

Cody Allen Balmer, 38, will spend 25 to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempting to murder Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro in an April arson attack. Newly released surveillance footage shows Balmer scaling the fence of the Harrisburg governor's mansion, breaking windows, and throwing Molotov cocktails inside during the early hours of April 13. The videos show him trying unsuccessfully to force open multiple doors before starting a fire that caused millions of dollars in damage.

Shapiro had hosted a Passover Seder that evening. He, his family, and several guests were asleep when the attack occurred and had to evacuate through smoke. No one was injured, though prosecutors charged Balmer with 21 counts of reckless endangerment for the people inside.

In a 911 call an hour after starting the fire, Balmer said he targeted Shapiro over his stance on Israel. The governor supports a two-state solution with "Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side-by-side, being able to determine their own futures and their own destiny." Balmer later told the Associated Press that Shapiro's Jewish faith didn't factor into his decision, writing: "He can be Jewish, Muslim, or a purple people eater for all I care."

At Tuesday's hearing, Shapiro described the footage as "chilling" and said he'd been "trying to unsee them for the last six months."