UPDATE: Authorities have walked back initial claims that gunshots were fired at the home of Vice President J.D. Vance. They confirm the home was vandalized early Monday morning by someone wielding a hammer. Read more on this developing story below and click here to get my breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox.
Veep Calls Suspect ‘Crazy Person’
Vice President Vance issued a statement on X:
“I appreciate everyone’s well wishes about the attack at our home. 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. We weren’t even home as we had returned already to DC. 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.”
Police Say Suspect in Custody
The U.S. Secret Service called police at 12:15 a.m. after seeing someone “running eastbound,” a Cincinnati police dispatcher told WXIX. The suspect is identified as William DeFoor, 26. He was taken into custody and faces numerous charges.
According to an arrest report, a Secret Service agent saw DeFoor run onto Vance’s property “damaging four of the victim’s residential windows and the victim’s vehicle.”
“The U.S. Secret Service is coordinating with the Cincinnati Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office as charging decisions are reviewed,” the Secret Service said in a statement.
The vice president and his family were not at home when the incident happened. Photos from the scene show at least one window was smashed.