Paul Pelosi Is Undergoing Brain Surgery After Being Attacked with Hammer in His Home: Report
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is reportedly undergoing brain surgery hours after being attacked by an intruder at the couple's San Francisco home early Friday morning.
NBC Bay Area reports that Paul "was taken to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and undergoing brain surgery" as of Friday afternoon, with a source telling the outlet he was in stable condition after being treated for facial injuries. The outlet further reports that Secret Service agents were stationed at the hospital, as well.
In a statement issued Friday morning, the speaker's spokesperson said Paul was "expected to make a full recovery" after an intruder broke into the couple's San Francisco home early Friday morning, reportedly in search of the House speaker.
Armed with a hammer, they were unable to locate her — so they instead violently attacked Paul, 82, who was in the residence.
Paul Morigi/Getty Images
CNN correspondent Jamie Gangel reports that the intruder "confronted the speaker's husband" and shouted, "Where is Nancy, where is Nancy?" Sources told Gangel that the assailant also tried to tie Paul up to await Nancy's return.
For more on this story, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.
According to U.S. Capitol Police, Nancy, 82, was in Washington, D.C. with her protective detail at the time of the attack.
Sources tell @CNN's @jamiegangel Pelosi assailant tried to tie up Paul Pelosi "until Nancy got home," according to two sources familiar with the situation. When SFPD arrived, the assailant said he was "waiting for Nancy" according to the sources.
— Whitney Wild (@WhitneyWReports) October 28, 2022
The assailant was taken into custody and multiple agencies — the U.S. Capitol Police, the FBI, and the San Francisco Police — have partnered to determine a motive for the attack.
Following the news of Paul's assault, President Joe Biden called the speaker to show his support.
"The President is praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi's whole family," wrote White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement. "He is also very glad that a full recovery is expected. The President continues to condemn all violence, and asks that the family's desire for privacy be respected."
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.
Nancy is second in the line of succession for president and has previously been a target of violent threats by supporters of former President Donald Trump, who has often directed ire at her and dubbed her "Crazy Nancy."
On Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters descended on the U.S. Capitol, many were in search of the speaker, occupying her office, stealing her property and defacing her belongings. One rioter left a note atop a police vehicle saying, "PELOSI IS SATAN."
After Friday's violent attack, Nancy's spokesperson said, "The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time."
