Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was attacked by a hammer inside the home of the couple located in San Francisco by a male attacker early on Friday morning, police sources informed CNN. The person who assaulted him was searching for the Speaker of the House according to an insider who was briefed about the incident.
The suspect confronted the husband of the speaker at his San Francisco home shouting, “Where is Nancy? Is there Nancy?” according to the source. The person who slapped Paul Pelosi tried to tie him up “until Nancy got home,” according to two sources who are familiar with the matter. The moment the police arrived, the attacker was saying that”waiting for Nancy. “waiting on Nancy.”
“This wasn’t a random incident. It was deliberate,” San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said during a news conference about the investigation. He said, “It’s wrong. The elected representatives of our country are there to manage the job of their towns, their cities and their states, as well as this nation. Families don’t sign up for harm and that’s not right.”
Pelosi, aged 82, was admitted to the hospital where she underwent surgery “successful procedure to repair the skull fracture as well as serious injuries to his hands and right arm,” Drew Hammill, spokesperson on behalf of Nancy Pelosi, said in an early statement on Friday evening. The statement stated that doctors anticipate that the politician to complete the full recovery.
Scott says authorities aren’t yet investigating the motive of the attack, however, they plan to arrest the suspect for criminal charges.
“The suspect is currently in the hospital, however I’ll tell you that we are planning to arrest the suspect regardless of whether it’s in absence or in person, he will be charged with felony,” he said in an evening news conference without providing any additional information.
The incident caused shock waves throughout Washington and led to an outpouring of condolences as well as condemnation from Congress leaders from each side of the aisle. The attack comes amid concerns of political violence directed towards lawmakers are high following Jan 6, 2021 incident at the US Capitol as well as other violent incidents of a high profile which have targeted lawmakers in Congress in recent times.
Nancy Pelosi was able to talk to her husband following the attack but before being admitted to surgery as per a person with knowledge of the situation. The speaker flew with her family members to San Francisco on Friday to be with her husband as well as another source said to CNN on Friday night that she was in the hospital.
“The Speaker as well as her entire family is grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers offered by friends as well as constituents and the people across the world. “The Pelosi family is extremely thankful to Hammill. Pelosi’s medical team and to the police agents who responded in the aftermath of the attack,” Hammill said in the statement released on Friday evening.
Police details on how the attack took place
The authorities identified 42-year-old David DePape as the suspect for the attack. Authorities anticipate to “bring the case to trial on multiple criminal allegations” in connection with the incident in the coming this week. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins tweeted Friday evening.
“We are working closely with both federal and local law enforcement agencies on this investigation. We’ll present numerous felony charges Monday and anticipate that DePape will be in court on Tuesday. DePape will be found guilty of his horrible crime,” she wrote.
Scott revealed on Friday night the police officers who responded observed upon arrival to the site.
The moment officers reached the Pelosi home, Scott said, the front door was opened “by somebody within,” and the officers stood outside saw Pelosi and DePape both had their hands “on one Hammer.”
While outside the home the officers witnessed DePape remove the hammer from Pelosi and begin to attack Pelosi the police chief stated. Scott continued to add that Pelosi was hit by DePape at least one time.
At a news conference earlier, Scott said the suspect had “pulled the hammer off of his. Pelosi and violently assaulted the victim with the hammer.”
“Our officers immediately confronted the suspect and disarmed him. They then arrested him He also requested an emergency backup and provided medical assistance,” he continued.
Paul Pelosi was able to make a 911 call at the time of the incident according to an official source and a third source who is familiar with the situation. The politician was able to keep the line open , and it was possible for the dispatcher to listen in on conversations in the background according to the source in the law enforcement.
Pelosi was speaking via code, claimed the source from law enforcement giving enough details to ensure that the person listening it could discern that something was not right. In the same way, Pelosi seemed to be trying to not make it clear to intruders that he was talking on an open line of communication, as the source said.
The source also said that they could have heard Pelosi discussing what was happening and notified police to conduct a search on the home.
The fight with Pelosi was recorded on a body camera of a police officer while police were at the door to intervene as per one of the source.
Jenkins acknowledged the incident, and told the CNN’s Erin Burnett: “It is really due to Ms. Pelosi having the ability to make that call and also the focus and the sensitivity of the dispatcher to see that something was not right in this situation and make the police’s call an urgent one so that they could be there in less than two minutes to deal with this incident.”
Police were able talk to the man in question, and he was afflicted with “some small injuries” in the incident, Jenkins stated. Scott did not provide further details about the state of the suspect on Friday night.
‘Too much hatred’
The man accused of attacking Paul Pelosi early Friday posted memes and conspiracy theories on Facebook regarding Covid vaccines as well as the 2020 election, and the attack on January 6 as well as an acquaintance who reported to CNN that he appeared “out out of touch with the real life.”
DePape was not a target for the US Capitol Police and was not included in any federal databases that track threats, according three sources briefed about the investigation.
The US Capitol Police said in an earlier statement in the day that they would be assisting FBI as well as The San Francisco Police “with a joint investigation” into the break-in that took place at the Pelosi residence in California.
The suspect was able to enter the Pelosi residence via the back door According to two sources who are who are familiar with the initial details of the incident.
With Speaker Pelosi out of the house There was no security guard in the house, as per one person who is familiar with procedures.
There could be footage which US Capitol Police and law enforcement could review if the security camera is on the house, according to two law enforcement sources.
The President Joe Biden spoke with Speaker Pelosi on Friday. Biden helped her arrange her trip to Washington for San Francisco.
In the afternoon, President Obama directly linked the escalation to the rise of right-wing extremism during remarks at a fundraiser dinner in Philadelphia later on Friday.
“This is deplorable. There’s no place for this in America where there’s not enough violence and political violence. Too much hatred. Too much vitriol,” Biden said.
Senate GOP President Mitch McConnell said in a tweet on Friday that he was “horrified and shocked” by report that Pelosi was beaten at his home.
“Grateful to learn that Paul is in the process of making an entire recovery, in the near future and also that our law enforcement agencies, including our outstanding Capitol Police are on the case,” the Kentucky Republican declared.
House GOP Chairman Kevin McCarthy reached out to Speaker Pelosi following the attack, according McCarthy’s office.
“Leader McCarthy reached out to the Speaker to ask for updates with Paul and said he’s pleading for a speedy recovery and is glad they found the perpetrator,” said Mark Bednar as a spokesperson for McCarthy.
The Pelosis are married since 1963, and have five children.
