Paul Pelosi, Husband Of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Undergoes Successful Skull Surgery After Attack At San Francisco Home — Update

Ted Johnson
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2nd UPDATE: Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has undergone successful surgery to repair a skull fracture after a violent early morning attack at the couple’s San Francisco home, the Speaker’s office said in a statement.

“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,” Drew Hammill, spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement.

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“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.”

The suspect, identified as 42-year-old David Depape, is in custody, Police say he will be charged with attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary and several other additional felonies.

The motive for the attack remains under investigation.

UPDATED with Gov. Gavin Newsom reaction: Authorities identified the suspect in the violent attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi.

David Depape, 42, will be charged with attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary and several other additional felonies, according to San Francisco Police Chief William Scott.

CNN reported that the suspect broke into the house and shouted, “Where’s Nancy?” The network reported that the suspect attempted to tie Paul Pelosi up.

Police said that they dispatched officers at about 2:27 AM PT to the Pelosi residence. “When the officers arrived on scene, they encountered an adult male and [Nancy Pelosi’s] husband Paul. Our 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,” Scott told reporters. He said that officers tackled the suspect and took him into custody, “requested emergency back up and rendered medical aid.” The suspect and Pelosi were transferred to a nearby hospital for treatment, he said.

Scott said that the motive remains under investigation. Media outlets quickly reported that the suspect’s social media feeds included conspiracy theories, including those that deny the results of the 2020 presidential election.

The U.S. Capitol Police is assisting the FBI and the San Francisco Police with a joint investigation into the break-in.

“Special agents with the USCP’s California Field Office quickly arrived on scene, while a team of investigators from the Department’s Threat Assessment Section was simultaneously dispatched from the East Coast to assist the FBI and the San Francisco Police with a joint investigation,” according to a statement from the Capitol Police.

President Biden spoke with House Speaker Pelosi Friday morning to offer his support following the attack.

“The President is praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi’s whole family,” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said in statement. “The President continues to condemn all violence, and asks that the family’s desire for privacy be respected.”

Vice President Kamala Harris wrote on Twitter that she and her husband, Doug Emhoff, “are appalled by the attack on Paul Pelosi” and that “the entire Pelosi family is in our hearts and we wish him a speedy recovery.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement on the attack of Paul Pelosi, calling it “a heinous assault” that “is yet another example of the dangerous consequences of the divisive and hateful rhetoric that is putting lives at risk and undermining our very democracy and Democratic institutions..”

You can read the entire statement below:

PREVIOUSLY: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, was violently assaulted early on Friday morning during a break-in at their San Francisco home, her office said.

“Early this morning, an assailant broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi,” her spokesman said. “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. The Speaker was not in San Francisco at the time.

“The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time.”

Pelosi’s office said that she was in Washington, D.C., with a protective detail, at the time of the break in and attack.

Capitol Police said that they were investigating along with the FBI and San Francisco police.

“The motivation for the attack is still under investigation,” Capitol Police said in a statement. CNN, ABC News and other outlets, citing unnamed sources, reported that the suspect, carrying a hammer, had targeted the home and was searching for the House speaker. News outlets reported that the assailant shouted, “Where is Nancy?”

Special agents from the Capitol Police field office in California arrived on the scene, and investogators were dispatched from the East Coast, according to Capitol Police.

Paul Pelosi, 82, owns a San Francisco real estate and venture capital firm. The Pelosis have been married since 1963.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement, “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.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Twitter, “Horrified and disgusted by the reports that Paul Pelosi was assaulted in his and Speaker Pelosi’s home last night. Grateful to hear that Paul is on track to make a full recovery and that law enforcement including our stellar Capitol Police are on the case.”

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