‘We Will Not Be Intimidated:’ Bullet Fired Into J.D. Vance’s Half-Brother’s Church As He Runs for Mayor
Cory Bowman, half-brother of Vice President J.D. Vance, says he will not back down after a bullet struck an exterior window at his Cincinnati church over the weekend. Bowman described the incident as an escalation tied to negative online posts and vowed strength, saying he “will not be intimidated or deterred by any obstacles.” He is running for mayor of Cincinnati while continuing his work as pastor at River Church Cincinnati.
Bowman posted a statement on X about the shooting:
Police are investigating the incident after a bullet was found to have penetrated a window on the Clark Street side of the church in the city’s West End neighborhood. “As the building was unoccupied during the incident, it has been classified as property damage,” Bowman said. Officials on scene took a report and Bowman said law enforcement had been “very helpful.”
Bowman tied the attack to a string of hostile social media activity, saying posts had identified his family’s residence and the church address amid the mayoral campaign. “It is worth noting that, over the past week, there have been several negative social media posts, specifically regarding my family’s personal residence and the church’s address. Posts that are made due to the nature of our current mayoral campaign.
He also addressed ongoing threats in a campaign context. “Throughout this campaign, we have encountered negativity, unfortunately including threatening messages directed at our church, business, and family,” Bowman added. The pastor said the church would continue prioritizing safety and security for congregants and neighbors.
The church went ahead with its regular 10 a.m. service on Sunday with increased security in place, though Bowman said he attended an appointment at another local church and was not present for the morning service. “The safety of the families and individuals in our church has always been, and will continue to be, our top priority,” Bowman said. “We will not be intimidated or deterred by any obstacles. Our life’s work is to positively impact the people of Cincinnati, and that commitment remains unwavering.”
Bowman is running as a Republican and is trying to unseat incumbent Democrat Aftab Pureval in a race where crime has been central. The campaign has leaned into public safety, arguing that city leadership has failed residents and that outside assistance should be accepted to restore order. The mayoral contest is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4.
Crime and a widely shared video from the summer put Cincinnati in the national spotlight after footage showed a mob assaulting a man and a woman. The viral clip prompted angry reactions and demands for accountability across social and traditional media. called on police to arrest and charge the victims of the crime for “inciting” felonies. A member of the said the victims were “begging for a beatdown” and Terri Theetge chastised social media for sharing the video.
Vice President Vance weighed in on the violence and urged prosecution. He said, “What I saw, and I haven’t seen the full context, but what I saw is a mob of lawless thugs beating up on an innocent person and it’s disgusting and I hope every single one of those people who engage in violence is prosecuted to the full extent of the law and they will be, they will be so long as law enforcement in the state of Ohio takes their job seriously.” The comment underscored the national interest in how Cincinnati handles public safety.
Bowman has kept crime front and center in his campaign messaging, pointing to a fatal shooting that followed a Bengals game as evidence of spiraling violence. He has urged city leaders to accept state assistance to confront the spike in violent incidents and to restore basic safety to neighborhoods.
“That’s six shootings and two stabbings within 24 hours in Cincinnati,” Bowman wrote. “The city must immediately accept all assistance offered by the state. This isn’t just a police chief issue—it’s failed leadership from the top down in our city.”
Back in May both Bowman and Pureval advanced from the city’s nonpartisan primary, with Pureval leading Bowman by 70 percentage points going into the general election. The campaign has remained intensely focused on crime, public order, and leadership, themes Bowman emphasizes while campaigning as a Republican challenger. Voters will decide on November 4, and the episode at Bowman’s church highlights how charged the race has become.
