Washington: An adult male was taken into custody after an overnight incident that caused property damage at the Ohio residence associated with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, law enforcement authorities said Monday.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight when US Secret Service agents assigned to the Vice President’s Cincinnati-area residence detained a man after windows were broken at the property. The Cincinnati police later took the individual into custody.
The US Secret Service said the residence was unoccupied at the time of the incident and that Vice President Vance and his family were not in Ohio.
“An adult male was taken into custody by the Cincinnati Police Department after being detained by U.S. Secret Service personnel for causing property damage, including breaking windows on the exterior of a personal residence associated with the Vice President,” the Secret Service said
Local news outlets reported that the damage included broken exterior windows at the residence in the East Walnut Hills neighbourhood. WLWT-TV footage showed visible window damage, with police and federal agents remaining on the scene for several hours.
CNN, citing a Secret Service spokesperson, reported that investigators do not believe the man entered the residence. The network said the suspect has not been publicly identified and that no injuries were reported.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the Secret Service contacted Cincinnati police after observing suspicious activity near the home. Police responded and assisted federal agents, taking the man into custody shortly after midnight, the newspaper said.
Full charges were still pending, local media reported.
A White House official told CNN that the Vance family had already left the area before the incident occurred. Authorities emphasised that there was no immediate threat to the Vice President or his family.
Police activity continued in the neighbourhood into the early morning hours, with officers and federal agents seen entering and exiting the property as part of the investigation, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
Officials declined to comment on a possible motive. Local outlets said investigators were documenting the damage and reviewing the sequence of events that led to the detention.
The U.S. Secret Service provides round-the-clock protection for the Vice President and immediate family members, including security coverage at designated residences. The agency routinely works with state and local law enforcement when incidents occur at properties linked to protectees.
JD Vance, a former U.S. senator from Ohio, was sworn in as Vice President earlier this year. Residences associated with senior U.S. officials remain under Secret Service protection even when those officials are travelling.
Security incidents involving the homes of top U.S. leaders are handled as joint federal and local matters.
(IANS)
