Police on Friday released the identity and other information about the man who allegedly attacked Paul Pelosi, the husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, at their San Francisco home early Friday morning.
San Francisco police said during a briefing Friday that officers were dispatched to the Pelosis’ home at 2:27 a.m.
When they entered, they found a man — identified as 42-year-old David DePape — in a struggle with Paul Pelosi that involved a hammer, police Chief Bill Scott told reporters.
“Officers observed Mr. Pelosi and the suspect both holding a hammer. The suspect pulled the hammer away from Mr. Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it,” he said.
Scott said officers immediately tackled the suspect, disarmed him and took him into custody.
He said both Pelosi and DePape were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The motive behind the attack is “still being determined,” Scott said, adding that San Francisco police were leading the investigation in conjunction with the FBI, the U.S. attorney’s office, the U.S. Capitol Police and San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, who was with him at the briefing.
The police chief said DePape would be booked on charges of attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary “and several other additional felonies.”
While Scott and Jenkins said the motive was unknown, CBS News reported Friday that the suspect wanted to detain the 82-year-old Paul Pelosi until his wife returned.
The outlet, which cited “a source briefed on the assault,” said the suspect was shouting “Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?” when he entered the home.
The House speaker’s office said in a statement that she was not in San Francisco at the time of the attack.
“The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said.
Hammill said Paul Pelosi was “receiving excellent medical care and is expected to make a full recovery.”
Many public officials across the political spectrum expressed their shock over the attack.
“What happened to Paul Pelosi last night is horrific. Heidi & I are praying for him & Nancy & the entire Pelosi family. May God’s protection be upon them. We can have our political differences, but violence is always wrong & unacceptable,” Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted.
What happened to Paul Pelosi last night is horrific.
Heidi & I are praying for him & Nancy & the entire Pelosi family. May God’s protection be upon them.
We can have our political differences, but violence is always wrong & unacceptable.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 28, 2022
“Sickened by the attack on Paul Pelosi at the family’s SF home. While the investigation is ongoing, first reports indicate the Speaker was the intended target of this horrible violence. Praying for Paul’s swift recovery, and my thoughts are with the Speaker and their family,” Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California tweeted.
Sickened by the attack on Paul Pelosi at the family’s SF home.
While the investigation is ongoing, first reports indicate the Speaker was the intended target of this horrible violence.
Praying for Paul’s swift recovery, and my thoughts are with the Speaker and their family.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) October 28, 2022
“I feel absolutely sick, horrified and disgusted about the news of Paul Pelosi. What in God’s name is happening in this country?! Everyone join me and send support, love, prayers, anything you can to Speaker Pelosi, her husband and the entire Pelosi family. This is a broken world,” Meghan McCain said in a Twitter post.
I feel absolutely sick, horrified and disgusted about the news of Paul Pelosi. What in God's name is happening in this country?! Everyone join me and send support, love, prayers, anything you can to Speaker Pelosi, her husband and the entire Pelosi family.
This is a broken world
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) October 28, 2022
Nancy Pelosi has not made any other comments on the situation aside from the statement from her spokesman Friday morning.