'Depraved act': Arsonist set fire to Pa. governor's mansion during Passover causing 'significant damage'
Published in News & Features
An arsonist set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion in Harrisburg early Sunday morning, causing “a significant amount of damage,” according to state police.
Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were uninjured. Shapiro, who is Jewish, posted a photo Saturday evening of his family’s Passover dinner at the governor’s residence.
Pennsylvania State Police are still investigating, but said in a news release they believe it to be an act of arson and are offering a $10,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible.
“Last night at about 2AM, my family and I woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg,” Shapiro posted on X Sunday morning.
“Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished,” Shapiro added. “Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities. Last night, they did so for our family — and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe.”
Asked if the fire was being investigated as a hate crime against Shapiro and his family, state police said in an email: “All avenues will be explored.”
Several elected officials condemned the arson attack on the governor’s mansion, where Shapiro resides when not at his home in Abington Township.
Former Gov. Tom Ridge, a Republican and the nation’s first secretary of Homeland Security, said in a statement that whoever is responsible for the attack on Shapiro, and thus the state, “must be held to account.”
“The images showing the damage to the home we lived in with our children for nearly eight years are heartbreaking,” Ridge said. “All of us should feel safe in our homes, especially when that home is our state’s official residence, which makes this particularly shocking.”
State Attorney General Dave Sunday, a Republican, said in a statement he was relieved that Shapiro and his family were unharmed and his office “stands ready with any resources needed to find the culprit of this senseless act of violence.”
House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, D-Montgomery, called the arson a “senseless, disgusting act” and “reprehensible and the perpetrator should face the full weight of the law.”
“Some moments stop you cold. This depraved act is one of them,” said State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, who is also a vice chair for the Democratic National Committee. “I’m deeply grateful that Josh, Lori, their family, and the Governor’s Residence staff are safe after such a terrifying act on their home.”
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., who is considering a run against Shapiro in 2026, wrote on X that “violence has no place in our politics.”
“What happened last night was not just an attack on one family, it was an attack on the values we all share as Americans,” Meuser added. “And it is particularly disgraceful that this occurred on Passover — a sacred time of faith, freedom, and reflection."
Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland, who is a frequent critic of Shapiro, said in a statement that “the most important thing” is that Shapiro and his family are safe.
“I am grateful for the work of our firefighters and law enforcement agencies for their quick response to this tragic incident, and will review the investigation details once complete,” Ward added.
Shapiro often uses the residence for events, and has used it previously as a place for budget negotiations that are set to begin in the coming months.
It’s unclear how much damage was done to the 29,000-square-foot home built along the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania’s capital, how long the fire was burning, and where in the residence and how it was started.
It’s also unclear how an arsonist was able to enter the gated property, where Shapiro and his family were staying with state police security detail.
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