WASHINGTON: A burglar broke into Nancy Pelosi’s California house on Friday in pursuit of her and struck her husband with a hammer, shattering his skull.
According to Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Paul Pelosi, the speaker was “attacked at home by an intruder who used force, threatened his life, and demanded to meet the speaker.”
Paul Pelosi, 82, was at home by himself while his wife was at work in Washington. He underwent surgery and is now resting in the hospital.
San Francisco police said officers found the assailant at the couple’s home just before 2:30 am (0930 GMT), where he and Paul Pelosi were scuffling over a hammer.
“The suspect pulled the hammer away from Mr Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it,” San Francisco police chief Bill Scott told reporters.
He identified the assailant as 42-year-old David Depape but declined to take questions and offered little further detail.
US media, citing family sources, said the intruder told Paul Pelosi he was going to tie him up and wait for the speaker to get home.
According to a statement made to the cable network MSNBC, the victim was able to call 911 while the male was disoriented.
Intruder shouted “Where’s Nancy?” during the attack, local media had earlier reported, but police later informed reporters no reason had been established.
Assault with a dangerous weapon, burglary, attempted murder, and other felonies would be among the charges brought against Depape, according to Scott.
According to the speaker’s spokesman, “Mr. Pelosi was admitted to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital where he underwent successful surgery to treat a skull fracture and major damage to his right arm and hands.”
The couple’s five children and Nancy Pelosi, who is second in line for the presidency, were said to be travelling back to San Francisco to be by his side.
President Joe Biden described the attack as “despicable” while speaking to supporters in Philadelphia on Friday night. He added that political violence had “no place” in the United States.
He said, “Enough is enough is enough.”
The White House reported that Biden, who is 82 years old as well, called Pelosi earlier in the day to offer his prayers for her husband and to show support.
“He is really happy that a complete recovery is anticipated. The president reiterates his condemnation of all forms of violence and requests that the family’s request for privacy be honoured “Karine Jean-Pierre, Biden’s press secretary, stated in a statement.
‘Disgusted’
According to unidentified law enforcement officials quoted in The Wall Street Journal, the intruder entered through a sliding glass door and sustained head and body injuries.
One of the cops told the daily newspaper that he had expressed strong right-wing opinions on social media, including speculations regarding Covid-19.
Members of both parties have warned of the possibility of political violence with less than two weeks until the key US midterm elections.
Threats against politicians have more than doubled since 2017 to around 10,000 in 2021, according to the Capitol Police in Washington.
On social media, members of both parties came together to support Pelosi, with some arguing that the rise in inflammatory political speech was to blame for the attack.
Republican Adam Kinzinger, a member of the House committee looking into the attack on the US Capitol in January 2021, accused Donald Trump and his far-right supporters of radicalising some of their fans through the spread of conspiracies.
“To be clear, you will get violence when you persuade people that politicians manipulate elections, consume baby blood, etc. We must reject this “Of the attack on Friday, he stated.
The incident, according to Republican House whip Steve Scalise, “disgusted” him.
After a collision in May, Paul Pelosi was found guilty of driving under the influence and given a five-day jail term.
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