Eric Risberg/AP
The man accused of using a hammer to attack Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at their San Francisco home on Friday is facing federal and state charges, officials said Monday.
The unsealed FBI affidavit included in the court filings provided new details about what happened.
Here’s what happened, according to law enforcement:
Federal court records said police arrived at the home shortly after Paul Pelosi called 911. When the door opened, Pelosi and the suspect, David DePap, “were holding a hammer with one hand and DePap had the other hand on Pelosi’s forearm,” the FBI affidavit said. When officers asked Pelosi and DePape to drop the hammer, DePape allegedly pulled it out and struck Pelosi in the head. A source familiar with the matter later told CNN that Pelosi was hit twice. San Francisco Police Chief William Scott previously said Pelosi was hit “at least once.” Pelosi “appeared to be unconscious on the ground” after the hit, according to the affidavit. Pelosi was taken to the hospital and underwent “successful surgery to repair a fractured skull and serious injuries to his right arm and hands,” according to an earlier statement from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.
What else to know:
The charges
David DePape has been indicted on federal charges of assault and attempted kidnapping, the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District of California announced. The attempted kidnapping charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and the assault charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins also announced additional state charges, including attempted murder.
The burglary
The suspect was able to enter the home by breaking a rear glass door, Jenkins said, adding that DePape allegedly went upstairs where Pelosi was sleeping. He said he woke him up and confronted him about the speaker’s whereabouts. Pelosi tried to get to the home’s elevator, which had a phone inside, according to Jenkins, but the suspect blocked it. “It was sometime after that that Mr. Pelosi asked to go to the bathroom, where he was able to call 911 from his cell phone,” she said, adding that’s when the suspect brought Pelosi down near the front door.
Pelosi’s 911 call
A court filing related to the federal charges stated that Paul Pelosi “said words that there is a male in the house and that the male will be waiting for Pelosi’s wife. Pelosi further conveyed that she does not know who the man is. The man said his name is David,” an FBI agent said in an affidavit. CNN previously reported that Pelosi was able to keep the line open and the dispatcher could hear a conversation in the background.
I’m looking for Nancy Pelosi
DePape admitted in an interview with local police that he intended to find Nancy Pelosi and hold her hostage, the criminal complaint said. It added that DePape, “stated that he was going to hold Nancy hostage and talk to her. If Nancy told Depp the “truth,” he would let her go, and if she “lied,” he would break her “knees.” of the pack” of lies promoted by the Democratic Party.
Interviews with Pelosi and the suspect
Paul Pelosi was interviewed this weekend at the hospital by investigators and was able to provide details about the attack, two law enforcement sources and a source familiar with the matter told CNN. DePape was read his Miranda rights before he spoke to police and confessed his intentions to kidnap the top House Democrat, records show.
Motivation
Police have not officially determined the suspect’s motive. San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said at a press conference Friday that the attack was “intentional” and “not a random act.” The unsealed affidavit said, “Depp had zip ties, tape, rope and at least one hammer with him that morning.”
What’s next: The suspect is expected to be arraigned Tuesday, according to San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.
