Arson at the Pennsylvania governor’s residence forced Gov. Shapiro and his family to evacuate, police say

By Ali Main and Zoe Sottile, CNN

(CNN) — Pennsylvania State Police say they are investigating an alleged arson at the governor’s residence overnight, which left the building with a “significant amount of damage.”

Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a post on X that he and his family “woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg.”

He and his family were safely evacuated from the home by state police and no one was injured, he added.

“Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities,” he said. “Last night, they did so for our family – and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe.”

The governor had celebrated the first night of Passover earlier that evening, a post on X shows.

Pennsylvania State Police said that although the investigation is ongoing, they are “prepared to say at this time that this was an act of arson.” The FBI’s Philadelphia field office is assisting state police in their investigation, the agency told CNN in an email.

Shapiro, 51, was elected Pennsylvania governor in 2022 after spending six years as state attorney general. A prominent Democrat, he was one of several candidates named as a possible running mate for former Vice President Kamala Harris during her 2024 presidential bid – and he’s been floated as a possible presidential candidate himself for the 2028 election.

Pennsylvania State Police and the governor will hold a news conference about the incident at 4:30 p.m. ET, according to an X post from Shapiro’s press secretary.

The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire responded to the fire around 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning, according to a news release from Pennsylvania State Police.

“While the fire was successfully extinguished, it caused a significant amount of damage to a portion of the residence,” reads the release.

Police are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for the arrest and conviction of the person or people involved, according to the release.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said in an X post that he was “relieved” the governor and his family were safe.

“The Office of Attorney General stands ready with any resources needed to find the culprit of this senseless act of violence,” the post reads.

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CNN’s Danny Freeman contributed to this report.