Police have released a video showing a home burglary and an attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The 42-year-old attacker, who has already heard allegations, was, among other things, a supporter of conspiracy theories. He admitted he wanted to hurt a Democrat.
Federal investigators charged David DePape in late October 2022 with attempted abduction of a federal official and a revenge-motivated attack on a member of the immediate family of a government official. The maximum sentence for both of these charges is a combined 50 years in prison.
Nancy and Paul Pelosi in a photo from 2013Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for HBO
In the indictment, federal prosecutors said the assailant “was prepared to detain and harm the announcer” by breaking into the Pelosi’s San Francisco residence. Nancy Pelosi” and that he was carrying plastic disposable handcuffs, tape, rope and at least one hammer.
When it turned out that only the announcer’s husband was at home, DePape was supposed to say that he would wait for her. He also allegedly told investigators that he intended to break Pelosi’s kneecaps if she “didn’t tell the truth” about the alleged “lies of the Democratic Party.” He added that if Pelosi had to use a wheelchair as a result, “it would show other members of Congress the consequences of their actions.”
A police camera recorded the attack on Paul Pelosi
On Friday, police released a surveillance video outside the Pelosi house, as well as a video from a police camera that shows the intervention of the officers. The first shows DePape walking up to Paul and Nancy Pelosi’s house and looking around. After a while, he leaves and returns to his place with a rucksack, from which he takes out gloves, which he puts on, and a hammer, which he uses to make his way inside the house.
Excerpt from the recording outside the Pelosi house. It shows DePape breaking into the mansionReuters
In another video, from a camera placed on a police uniform, officers can be seen approaching the Pelosi home. When they arrived, 82-year-old Paul Pelosi and the attacker had a hammer in their hands. At first, the policemen calmly addressed the assailant, asking him what was going on. DePepe replied that “it’s fine.” The police then told him to “throw the hammer” to the ground, which he refused. Moments later, the assailant knocked the tool out of Pelosi’s hand and hit him on the head. The officers immediately rushed and captured the 42-year-old.
A police camera recorded the attack on Paul PelosiReuters
TVN’s “Fakty” correspondent Marcin Wrona reported at the time that Pelosi had a fractured skull and a dent. He also had injuries to his hand and arm. The announcer’s husband had to undergo a complicated operation.
Paul Pelosi attacked at his home in San Francisco. Report by Marcin WronaTVN24
On his websites and social media profiles, DePape propagated many conspiracy theories, including alleged election fraud, vaccines, and the Holocaust, among others.
DePape also intended to assault actor Tom Hanks, the son of the US president Joe Biden, Hunter, and for California Governor Gavin Newsom. Police officer Carla Hurley, who questioned the suspect, provided the information in court.
Main photo source: Reuters