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| Photo Credit: AP. |
The man was attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul Pelosi asked the 82-year-old man “Where is Nancy” before repeatedly hitting him with a hammer in the early hours of Friday morning in the speaker’s San Francisco home.
Speaking at
a brief news conference the San Francisco Police Department Chief Bill Scott
identified the attacker as David DePape. He said officers were dispatched to the
crime scene at approximately 2:27 a.m. for “A priority well-being check.” When
authorities arrived on the scene, they observed a 42-year-old male and Paul Pelosi
“both holding a hammer.”
“The suspect
pulled the hammer away from Mr. Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it,”
Scott said, according to The Hill.
He noted
that officers “immediately tackled the suspect, disarmed him” and took him into
custody, adding the suspect and Paul Pelosi were transported to a local
hospital for treatment.
The police
boss said the suspect will be booked at the San Francisco County on a number of
charges including attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon and burglary,
adding there will be “several other additional felonies,” The Hill reported.
Scott said
authorities are still investigating the motive for the crime.
The suspect
reportedly entered the home through a sliding glass door and wielded a hammer.
Pelosi
spokesman Drew Hammill said the husband of the California Democrat was taken to
hospital and is expected to make a full recovery from the deadly assault.
“Early this
morning, an assailant broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and
violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi.
“The
assailant is in custody and the motivation for the attack is under
investigation. Mr. Pelosi was taken to the hospital, where he is receiving
excellent medical care and is expected to make a full recovery,” Hammill said.
“The speaker was not in San Francisco at the time.”
U.S. Capitol
Police said the speaker was in Washington, D.C., with her security details as
at the time of the attack, according to The Hill.
The attack
is believed to have occurred at about 2:27 a.m., according to a tweet by Sgt.
Adam Lobsinger of the San Francisco Police Department who said officers were
responding to a break in.
Pelosi
suffered blunt force trauma to his head and body and was treated for a number
of injuries and bruising after the attacker smashed him with a hammer,
according to The Associated Press.