The assailant who attacked Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and beat him with a hammer in their San Francisco home reportedly was looking for her.
The intruder confronted the Speaker's husband, shouting, "Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?" reported CNN and The Associated Press, citing unnamed sources familiar with the details of the attack.
CNN also reported the suspect told police he was "waiting for Nancy" when they arrived at the scene.
The suspect, identified by David Depape, 42, of Berkeley, is in police custody.
“The motive for this attack is still being determined,” San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said at an afternoon press briefing.
“Our officers observed Mr. Pelosi and the suspect both holding a hammer,” Scott said. “The suspect pulled the hammer away from Mr. Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it. Our officers immediately tackled the suspect, disarmed him, took him into custody, requested emergency backup and rendered medical aid.”
Scott said Depape was being charged with attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse aand other charges.
Sources say the suspect specifically targeted the Pelosi's home. The speaker was in Washington, D.C., when the attack occurred early Friday morning, and her 82-year-old husband suffered blunt force trauma to his head and body.
Paul Pelosi is being treated by doctors for bruising, severe swelling, and other injuries, and the speaker's spokesman, Drew Hammill, said her husband is expected to recover fully.
Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday said on Twitter that she and her husband are "appalled" by the attack, and that the family "is in our hearts, and we wish him a speedy recovery."
Meanwhile, the U.S. Capitol Police Friday released a statement stating the department is assisting the San Francisco Police and the FBI in a joint investigation into the home invasion and attack.
The statement also gave further information on the response to the attack, saying that special agents with the USCP's California Field Office had "quickly arrived on the 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 sources familiar with the details of the break-in, the assailant got into the Pelosi residence from the back of the house. The speaker's security detail was not present as she was not at the California home.
Sources also said there may be a video of the incident, as there are security cameras at the Pelosi home.
This article contains reporting from Newsmax wire services.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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