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The man accused of breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home and bashing her 82-year-old husband in the head with a hammer told first responders he was on a “suicide mission” and had a list of other politicians and their families, prosecutors said. he said.
David DePape, 42, told police and medics at the Pelosi residence that he “didn’t really mean to hurt” Paul Pelosi, according to court documents filed Tuesday by the San Francisco district attorney’s office and seen by Insider .
“But you know this is a suicide mission,” DePape said, according to the filing. “I will not stay here and do nothing even if it costs me my life.”
DePape also knew he would be caught on camera at the Pelosi residence, as he noticed there were ring cameras in the home, the filing said.
When asked if he had other plans to attack, Depapp named several targets, including state and federal politicians and their families, as well as a local professor, prosecutors said. Those people were not named in the filing by the San Francisco DA’s office.
DePape faces a number of state charges, including attempted murder, burglary, elder abuse, assault with a deadly weapon and attempted kidnapping of a US official.
He also faces two felony charges from the Department of Justice: one count of assaulting a member of the immediate family of a U.S. official with the intent to retaliate against the official in the performance of his official duties, and one count of attempted kidnapping of a U.S. official in the performance of official duties.
DePape broke into the Pelosi residence at 2 a.m. Friday through a window in the back door of the home, looking for Nancy Pelosi while she was armed with a hammer and a zipper, according to the filing from the San Francisco DA’s office.
However, he found Paul Pelosi, who was sleeping in his pajamas, according to the affidavit.
Paul Pelosi managed to call 911 and officers arrived to see the elderly man and DePape struggling for control of the hammer, the affidavit said.
Depapp hit Pelosi in the head with the hammer, then police tasered the suspect and disarmed him, prosecutors said.
Officers later found DePape had brought another hammer, a laptop and more zip ties in a backpack, the affidavit said.
DePape has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Another hearing in his case was scheduled for Friday, but DePape waived his right to attend, according to CNN.
If convicted of the state charges against him, DePape could face 13 years, eight months in prison and life in prison, according to the San Francisco DA’s office.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Monday that based on DePapp’s statements after his arrest, his attack on the Pelosi residence was “politically motivated.”
