WASHINGTON, D.C. — Vice President JD Vance said Monday that his family was not at home when an intruder attempted to break into his Ohio residence, thanking the U.S. Secret Service and Cincinnati police for responding quickly as authorities charged a 26-year-old man in connection with the incident.
“I appreciate everyone’s well wishes about the attack at our home,” Vance wrote on social media. “As far as I can tell, a crazy person tried to break in by hammering the windows. I’m grateful to the Secret Service and the Cincinnati police for responding quickly.”
Vance added that his family was not present at the time. “We weren’t even home as we had returned already to DC,” he said.
He also urged restraint in media coverage involving images of the residence. “One request to the media: we try to protect our kids as much as possible from the realities of this life of public service. In that light, I am skeptical of the news value of plastering images of our home with holes in the windows,” Vance wrote.
According to local reports, Cincinnati police and U.S. Secret Service officers responded shortly after midnight to reports of damage at the vice president’s Cincinnati-area home. Police identified the suspect as William DeFoor, 26, who was arrested and charged, based on a Cincinnati Police Department arrest report.
Authorities said DeFoor faces one count of criminal damage, one count of obstructing official business, one count of criminal trespass, and one felony count of vandalism. Investigators allege he damaged multiple windows at the residence and a vehicle owned by the Secret Service.
Law enforcement officials said Secret Service agents observed the suspect on the property, and surveillance footage showed him damaging four windows at the home. Officers from both agencies searched the area in the early morning hours, and several windows were visibly broken.
Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service’s chief of communications, told local media that the suspect was being held on local charges and that federal charges could also be considered. He said the agency would present its findings to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for any federal charging decisions.
Officials said members of the Secret Service heard a loud noise around midnight and found that a window had been broken with a hammer. Investigators believe the suspect was attempting to enter the house but did not succeed.
No injuries were reported, and authorities said the home was unoccupied at the time of the incident. Police activity remained visible in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood for several hours as officers documented damage and secured the scene.
The U.S. Secret Service provides protective coverage for the vice president, immediate family members, and designated residences, working in coordination with state and local law enforcement agencies. Vance, a former U.S. senator from Ohio, assumed office as vice president earlier this year. (Source: IANS)
