JD Vance speaks out after Ohio home targeted, says ‘a crazy person tried to break in'

US Vice President JD Vance, on Monday, while speaking about an attempted break-in at his Ohio residence, thanked law enforcement for their swift response and urged the media to exercise restraint in coverage.

In a post on X, Vance said the suspect attempted to enter the house by smashing windows.

“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,” Vance wrote.

Secret Service, police praised

Vance expressed gratitude to security personnel and local law enforcement for quickly securing the situation.

“I'm grateful to the Secret Service and the Cincinnati police for responding quickly,” he said.

Family was not at home

The vice president confirmed that he and his family were not present at the residence at the time of the incident.

“We weren't even home as we had returned already to DC,” Vance added.

Appeal to media on family privacy

Vance also made an appeal to media organisations, asking them to limit the circulation of images showing damage to the property, citing concerns for his children.

“We try to protect our kids as much as possible from the realities of this life of public service,” he said.

“In that light, I am skeptical of the news value of plastering images of our home with holes in the windows.”

Investigation continues

Authorities have said a suspect has been detained in connection with the incident. Investigations are ongoing as officials review the circumstances surrounding the attempted break-in and property damage at the residence.

A man was detained early Monday (January 5) after allegedly breaking windows and causing property damage at the Ohio residence of JD Vance, according to the US Secret Service.

The incident occurred shortly after midnight at Vance’s home in Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills neighbourhood, east of downtown.

Suspect detained by Secret Service

The suspect was detained shortly after midnight by US Secret Service agents assigned to protect the vice president’s residence, agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.

“An adult male was taken into custody after being detained by US Secret Service personnel for causing property damage, including breaking windows on the exterior of a personal residence associated with the Vice President,” Guglielmi said.

The man has not been publicly identified.

Windows broken, property vandalised

According to two law enforcement officials cited by the Associated Press, Secret Service agents heard a loud noise near the residence and discovered a man who had allegedly broken a window using a hammer and was attempting to gain entry into the house.

One of the officials said the suspect also vandalised a Secret Service vehicle while moving up the driveway toward the home. Authorities believe the individual did not manage to enter the residence.

Photographs published by local media outlets showed visible damage to several windows at the property.