The husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Paul, was assaulted with a hammer early Friday inside his San Francisco home by an attacker identified by police as David DePape, who a law enforcement source tells Fox News was shouting “Where is Nancy, where is Nancy?”
San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said DePape, 42, is now facing charges of attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary and several other additional felonies stemming from the incident after 2 a.m.
Scott said police responded to a wellbeing check and found DePape and Paul Pelosi, 82, struggling over a hammer. He said officers then witnessed DePape pull the hammer away from Pelosi and “violently assaulted” him.
Officers then immediately tackled DePape, disarmed him and took him into custody, while requesting emergency backup and rendering medical aid at the scene. The motive for the attack remains under investigation.
“Early this morning, an assailant broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said. “Mr. Pelosi was taken to the hospital, where he is receiving excellent medical care and is expected to make a full recovery.”
The spokesman also said, “The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time.”
The White House said President Biden “is praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi’s whole family” following the “horrible attack.”
A source that spoke to Fox News said the intruder confronted the Speaker’s husband shouting “where is Nancy, where is Nancy?”
Two sources with knowledge of the investigation into the attack also told The Associated Press that Paul Pelosi was specifically targeted, severely beaten with a hammer and suffered blunt force injuries to his head and body. The sources said Pelosi is being treated for injuries including bruising and severe swelling.
Authorities found a list of politicians that he wanted to target, sources told KTVU. The sources also said that authorities found a manifesto belonging to DePape which contains anti-government beliefs regarding COVID-19 and other conspiracy theories.
Scott said during a Friday night press conference that both Paul Pelosi and DePape both had their hands on the hammer. When officers gave an order for the men to drop the hammer, DePape began attacking Paul Pelosi, who was hit at least one time.
DePape broke into a “rear entry” of the home, according Scott.
“This was not a random act. This was intentional. And it’s wrong,” Scott said. “Everybody should be disgusted about what happened this morning.”
As of Friday night, DePape is in a San Francisco hospital.
Scott said that Paul Pelosi called 911 himself, adding that the 911 operator had an “intuition” and identified the call as higher priority than a wellness check, which triggered a bigger response by police.
Drew Hammill, spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement on Friday afternoon that Paul Pelosi is expected to make a full recovery after undergoing surgery to repair a skull fracture as well as other injuries.
“Earlier this morning, Paul Pelosi was attacked at home by an assailant who acted with force, and threatened his life while demanding to see the Speaker,” Hammill said. “Mr. Pelosi was admitted to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital where he underwent successful surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands. His doctors expect a full recovery.”
“The Speaker and her family are thankful for the outpouring of support and prayers from friends, constituents and people around the country. The Pelosi family is immensely grateful to Mr. Pelosi’s entire medical team and the law enforcement officers who responded to the assault. The family appreciates respect for their privacy during this time,” Hammill added.
The U.S. Capitol Police said in its own statement that it is “assisting the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the San Francisco Police with a joint investigation into a break-in at the California home of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.”
The statement also said Nancy Pelosi “was in Washington, D.C. with her protective detail at the time of the overnight, break-in.”
U.S. Capitol Police is conducting a review on security for lawmakers following the attack, according to Punchbowl News.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is also returning to San Francisco on Friday, according to the outlet.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said “what happened to Paul Pelosi was a dastardly act.”
“I spoke with Speaker Pelosi earlier this morning and conveyed my deepest concern and heartfelt wishes to her husband and their family, and I wish him a speedy recovery,” he said in a statement.
Friday’s reported attack is not the first time the Pelosi’s Pacific Heights property has been targeted recently.
In 2021, photos surfaced on social media and TMZ showing graffiti on a San Francisco garage door purportedly at the home of the Democratic congressional leader. The apparently spray-painted message read “$2K” with a line through it.
“Cancel Rent?” “We want everything!” Another line appeared to read, “UBI!” referring to the concept of universal basic income.
A spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department told Fox News at the time that officers responded to the reported vandalism around 2 a.m. “Unidentified suspect(s) had painted graffiti on the garage door and left a pig’s head on the sidewalk,” they said.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed reacted to the attack in a statement to Fox News Digital on Friday.
“This was a horrific and scary incident. I have reached out to Speaker Pelosi to offer my support to her and her family. I want to thank the 911 Dispatcher, San Francisco Police Department and the San Francisco Fire Department for their quick response to this incident. The Police have the suspect in custody, and as we have more information to share, we will do so,” Breed said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also reacted to the attack in a statement on Friday.
