Police body camera video released on Friday shows the moment a man attacked Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with a hammer.
Paul Pelosi, 82, was hospitalised in October after being severely beaten with a hammer in the couple’s San Fransisco home. The suspect, 42-year-old David DePape, had allegedly planned to kidnap Speaker Pelosi, who was in Washington at the time of the attack. DePape has pleaded not guilty to charges including attempted murder.
In the nearly two-minute video, two officers are seen walking up to Pelosi’s home. When Paul Pelosi answers the door, he can be seen with the attacker, who is holding a hammer. Pelosi appears to also be holding on to the hammer in a struggle.
“What’s going on right now?” an officer asks. That’s when the man appears to swing at the 82-year-old with the hammer before tackling him to the ground.
Both officers immediately rush the attacker.
“Give me your fucking hand,” an officer yells at the suspect as Pelosi lies motionless on the floor.
Pelosi later underwent surgery for a skull fracture. He was released from the hospital six days after the assault.
Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Thursday she likely wouldn’t be watching the video.
“I don’t even know if I will see it,” the lawmaker said of the footage. “I mean, it will be a very hard thing to see an assault on my husband’s life.”
DePape has struggled with mental illness and became obsessed with far-right politics and conspiracy theories, people who knew him told the San Fransisco Chronicle. Prior to the attack, DePape had posted bigoted rants on his website.
Following the attack, DePape allegedly said he had plans to target more lawmakers.