Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family evacuated after setting fire at Pennsylvania residence

The governor and state authorities said Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were forced to flee their residence in a fire attack on the Harrisburg Building.

State police said Democrat Mr. Shapiro said on social media that Pennsylvania police hit the door at about 2 a.m. to warn them that they were happening in another part of the residence, awakening him and his family. The governor said no one was injured.

The governor said state police and Pennsylvania Capitol police evacuated his family while firefighters put out the fire.

“Every day, we stand with law enforcement and first responders who are at risk to protect our community,” the governor said. “Last night, they did it for our family – Lori and I will always be grateful to them for keeping us safe.”

State police said in a statement that the fire “caused a huge damage to a part of the residence.”

Police did not identify the suspect and said an investigation was underway.

Hours before the fire, Mr. Shapiro, who also has a house north of Philadelphia, wrote on social media that he and his family are marking the Passover, which begins at sunset on Saturday.

Images posted on social media show firefighters are fighting the fire. Part of the mansion was covered by black smoke and some windows were broken.

Bryan Flores, 37, a neighbor across the street from the residence said he woke up shortly after 2 a.m. and saw a lot of reactions from police and firefighters outside. “We woke up with sirens, lights and stuff,” Flores said. He added that the incident appeared to be under control at the time.

Mr. Shapiro, a Democrat, listed his post last year among the running mates of Vice President Kamala Harris, who voted for the Democratic presidential vote. She ended up choosing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Mr. Shapiro served as the state's attorney general for six years before being elected governor of Pennsylvania in 2022.

Mr. Shapiro has been a threatening target at least before. In November 2023, police arrested a man who said they sent him a threatening email, according to a report from the Pennsylvania State Police Department. It is not clear whether the man was charged with the incident.

According to the state government, the governor's residence is a 29,000-square-foot Georgian-style house on the Susquehanna River. Its landscaped ground occupies an entire block about a mile and a half from the State Capitol building.

The public was able to visit the residence, which was displayed on the first floor with artworks and artifacts.

Officials did not say they believed the motivation was the motive for arson. State Police offered $10,000 in rewards for information leading to arrest and conviction.

Polls show that recent violence against politicians has helped address American fears and uneasiness recently. For example, before last year’s presidential election, about four in 10 voters said they were very or very worried about violence trying to challenge the outcome. Last summer, the assassination attempt against President Trump took place in Butler, Pennsylvania, 200 miles west of Harrisburg.

Other serious incidents include the 2020 kidnapping of Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan, and the 2023 invasion and attack at Nancy Pelosi's home that seriously hurt former House Speaker Paul.

Although American politics has become increasingly fierce and polarized in recent years, studies show that extremist violence in the United States has actually declined. Scholars who study the issue say the political climate has not become more extensive.

Campbell Robertson contributed the report. Susan Beachy contributed the research.