Just after midnight, “a hammer shattered the quiet” outside Vice President JD Vance’s Cincinnati home, jolting Secret Service agents into action in the normally calm Walnut Hills neighborhood. The vice president was away in Washington, but the sudden violence shattered any sense of separation between public office and private life.

Agents rushed toward the noise and found a man allegedly “smashing windows, vandalizing a government vehicle, and trying to force his way inside the residence.” Authorities say the suspect was quickly tackled and detained by Secret Service agents before entering the home, then turned over to Cincinnati police.

Vice President Vance and his family were not home, having left for Washington the previous afternoon. While “no injuries were reported,” officials said the damage to the property was significant, highlighting the seriousness of the attack.

The house has long been a flashpoint for protests over Vance’s political positions, including U.S. support for Ukraine and other national issues. In a prior incident, demonstrators allegedly confronted him while he walked with his young daughter, drawing sharp criticism from Vance.

Now, with a hammer-wielding intruder targeting his residence, the incident underscores how “the boundary between political protest and personal danger appears thinner than ever,” renewing concerns about the safety of political leaders and their families.