A 26-year-old man has been taken into custody by Cincinnati police after attempting to break into Vice President JD Vance’s residence in Ohio. The incident unfolded just after midnight, as officers and U.S. Secret Service agents responded to reports of breaking glass and found William DeFoor trespassing on the property.
DeFoor is said to have previously lived in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, but recent records list him as residing in Cincinnati’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Armed with a hammer, he broke four windows at the home and caused damage to a Secret Service vehicle parked nearby. Authorities reported that he fled eastward but was eventually apprehended.
The break-in occurred at the Vice President’s private residence located in East Walnut Hills, a historic Victorian Gothic mansion that the Vance family acquired in 2018. It measures over 6,000 square feet, includes about two acres of land, and offers views of the Ohio River.
JD Vance commented on the event via social media, expressing gratitude for the quick response from the Secret Service and local police. He mentioned that neither he nor his family was home at the time, having returned to Washington, D.C., after a week in Cincinnati.
In his post, Vance also mentioned a concern about media coverage, particularly regarding images of their home being displayed with broken windows, as he aims to protect his children’s privacy in the public eye.
DeFoor has been charged with vandalism, a fifth-degree felony, as well as three misdemeanors: criminal damaging or endangering, obstructing official business, and criminal trespass.
This isn’t DeFoor’s first run-in with law enforcement. He previously faced charges for trespassing at a psychiatric services building and vandalism stemming from an incident where he broke a window at a local business, leading to over $2,000 in damages. After those charges, he was placed in a specialized mental health docket, receiving treatment in lieu of conviction, which allows charges to be dismissed upon completing a court-ordered program. At the time of the break-in, he was still under that treatment and supervision.
Vance’s home had a 24-hour security detail, a response to increasing threats against U.S. politicians, including past assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump.
