Trump: Suspect in hearth at Shapiro's residence 'most likely only a whack job'

President Trump on Monday stated the attacker who set hearth to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D) residence over the weekend “wasn’t a fan of anybody” and was “probably just a whack job.”

“The attacker was not a fan of Trump, I understand, just from what I read and from what I’ve been told. The attacker basically wasn’t a fan of anybody, he was probably just a whack job,” Trump stated throughout remarks to the press when requested concerning the FBI investigation into the incident.

“And certainly a thing like that cannot be allowed to happen,” the president added.

Shapiro stated an arsonist set hearth to the governor’s residence in Harrisburg early Sunday morning. The fireplace triggered “significant” harm, however the governor and his household had been unhurt, in response to the Pennsylvania State Police. 

The suspect, recognized as 38-year-old Cody Balmer of Harrisburg, admitted in an interview with troopers to “harboring hatred” towards Shapiro and stated he would have “beaten him with his hammer” if there had been an encounter within the residence, court docket paperwork from the Dauphin County district lawyer’s workplace point out.

Among the many fees, Balmer faces tried homicide, terrorism and aggravated arson.

Vice President Vance on Sunday referred to as the incident “really disgusting violence.”

“Thanks be to God that Governor Shapiro and his family were unharmed in this attack,” Vance wrote in a publish on the social platform X. “Really disgusting violence, and I hope whoever did it is brought swiftly to justice.”

Lawyer Common Pam Bondi additionally stated she was “deeply relieved that Governor Shapiro and his family are safe, thankful for the first responders who arrived on the scene, and applaud the police work that resulted in an arrest just hours ago.”

Shapiro was notably among the many contenders to hitch former Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential ticket, and he’s seen as a possible future White Home candidate himself.

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