A man has reportedly attacked House Speaker Pelosi’s husband in his San Francisco home
The attack was launched by a hammer-wielding intruder who was bent on finding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Early Friday morning, the intruder broke into her San Francisco home and brutally assaulted her 82-year-old husband, officials said.
This has horrified politicians across the nation 11 days before the midterm election.
According to the speaker’s office, Paul Pelosi, a businessman, suffered a cracked skull and sustained wounds to his hands and arms, but was expected to fully recover after receiving surgery at a San Francisco hospital.
Officials said the attacker, identified as David DePape, 42, was arrested at the scene of the attack.
DePape got into the Pelosi home through a rear door, San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said Friday evening.
When Paul Pelosi encountered the intruder, he said he had to use the bathroom, said a person familiar with the incident. From the bathroom, Pelosi called 911.
When officers arrived at the Pelosi home at 2:27 a.m. local time, they found Paul Pelosi and DePape both clutching a hammer. The officers told the men to drop it.
Instead, DePape yanked the hammer from Pelosi’s hand and started to beat him with it. He hit Pelosi at least once before the cops tackled and arrested him, Scott said.
DePape was booked at the San Francisco County Jail on charges including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and elder abuse, according to booking records.
At an evening news conference, Scott seemed to hold back tears.
“Our elected officials are here to do the business of their cities and their counties and their states. Their families don’t sign up for this,” Scott said. “Everybody should be disgusted about what happened this morning.”
The FBI was working with the Capitol Police and the San Francisco Police Department on a joint investigation into the attack, authorities said. The FBI said it was on-site at the Pelosi residence.
Nancy Pelosi was in Washington at the time of the early morning ambush, the U.S. Capitol Police said.
Drew Hammill, a spokesman for the House speaker, said in a statement that Pelosi and her husband were “thankful for the outpouring of support and prayers from friends, constituents and people around the country.”
President Biden on Friday night condemned the attack as “despicable.”
“There’s too much violence, political violence. Too much hatred. Too much vitriol,” Biden said at a Democratic rally in Pennsylvania.
“What makes us think it’s not going to corrode the political climate? Enough is enough is enough.”
The motive for the attack was still being determined.
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