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Man Faces Federal and State Charges After Hammer Attack at VP Vance’s Cincinnati Home

Federal filings detail a hammer attack that broke historic panes, with hearings now set in state and federal court.

Overview

  • William DeFoor, 26, was detained by Secret Service around midnight on Jan. 5 after allegedly smashing windows at the East Walnut Hills residence while the vice president’s family was in Washington.
  • A federal affidavit says he tried to shatter a window on an unmarked Secret Service vehicle, then broke 14 historic panes, with about $28,000 in damage to security enhancements.
  • He faces separate cases: state counts of vandalism, criminal damaging, trespass and obstruction with bonds totaling $11,000, and federal charges including damaging government property and violence in a restricted area.
  • A federal detention hearing is scheduled for Friday, and a Hamilton County grand jury hearing on the state case is set for Jan. 15.
  • Authorities say the Secret Service is coordinating with Cincinnati police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office as they investigate motive, and court records note prior mental‑health–related findings in earlier cases.