Early morning Friday, Oct. 28 an intruder broke into the Pelosi mansion in San Francisco, California. The attacker was reportedly looking for Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, but found her husband, Paul Pelosi instead.
What Happened?
Prior to this event, the United States Capitol Police had installed security cameras at the San Francisco residence and it was these cameras that captured and recorded the break-in. The intruder, 42-year-old David DePape, smashed through the rear door of the couple’s San Francisco home wielding a hammer and shouting for Nancy. According to US News, the intruder approached 82-year-old Paul Pelosi and continuously shouted “Where is Nancy?” Wielding a hammer, the attacker struck Paul at least once before he was tackled by San Francisco police who arrived shortly after receiving a 911 call from the residence. According to NPR, San Francisco police also found a roll of tape, a second hammer, white rope, zip ties and a pair of rubber and cloth gloves amongst the attacker’s belongings.
Updates on Paul
Paul suffered serious injuries to his right arm and hands in addition to a fractured skull. He underwent surgery for his injuries and on Friday, the speaker’s office reported that his doctors expect him to make a full recovery. As of today, Nov. 3, Paul was released from his room at a San Francisco hospital following six days spent in recovery.
Who is David DePape?
The attacker by the name of David DePape is a Canadian native and is in the United States illegally. Records show DePape having entered the United States through San Ysidro, California all the way back in 2008 as a “temporary visitor.” (CNBC) Officials say that Canadian visitors who enter the United States for either business or pleasure are typically only permitted to stay for around six months. Born in Powell River, British Columbia, DePape was said to be following an older girlfriend to California at the time.
The attacker was known to frequently post on social media, often making racist and inappropriate comments. He was very vocal regarding his questioning of the results of the 2020 election and often both publicly defended Donald Trump as well as echoed QAnon conspiracy theories.
Having been a two-decade resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, DePape had made a name for himself locally as a pro-nudity activist who could often be found protesting naked against laws regarding public indecency.
Gene DePape, stepfather to David claimed that the attacker had lived in Canada with him until the age of 14. Gene notes that David had been generally quiet growing up and states “he was reclusive,” but that “he was never violent.”
What’s going on with the investigation?
The suspect was arrested at the scene of the crime on suspicion of attempted murder, elder abuse and burglary. DePape faces two felony charges after the event: one count of assault on an immediate family member of a United States official, and one count of an attempted kidnapping of a United States official. On Tuesday, Nov. 3, DePape made his first court appearance and pleaded not guilty to several charges including attempted murder. His public defender claims that he is currently being held without bail and is set to appear in court this Friday, Nov. 4.
DePape later confessed to his motive, claiming that he saw Nancy Pelosi as the “‘leader of the pack’ of lies told by the Democratic Party.” He admits he wanted to hold her hostage and speak to her, claiming that if she lied he would have broken her kneecaps. In a court filing taking place Tuesday night, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins states that DePape told police that he was on a “suicide mission” and did in fact have plans to target other federal and California politicians. The combined charges carry a penalty for DePape of 50 years in prison if convicted.
Political Climate
This attack is alleged to be in relation to the current political climate still following the Jan. 6 attacks. President Biden designated the assault as “despicable” and personally tied it to the spread of misinformation following the attack on the Capitol. On Friday, Oct. 28 Biden spoke on the event. “What makes us think that it’s [misinformation] not going to corrode the political climate? Enough is enough. Every person of good conscience needs to clearly and unambiguously stand up against violence in our politics, no matter what your politics are.”
While not the first of politically motivated attacks following the Jan. 6 events, the target on Nancy Pelosi was the most recent. The Hill writes that in June of this year, a man was arrested outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh carrying weapons and zip ties. A month later, a man carrying a gun outside of Representative Pramila Jayapal’s home was arrested and charged with making death threats.
United States law enforcement agencies warned of a potential increase in attacks on political figures following the spread of conspiracy theories regarding a “fraudulent” election. The U.S Capitol Police investigated nearly 10,000 threats to members of Congress last year which is over twice the number reported four years prior.
Lawmakers have called for better security for political officials and their families. However, security officials have only committed to paying for upgrades to certain security systems as well as providing an increase in Capitol Police presence outside Washington, yet for the most part, the majority of members are generally on their own. Following the attacks on Jan. 6, the San Francisco Police Department had placed a car outside the Pelosi residence to provide surveillance 24/7, yet at the time of this attack, that practice had been stopped and there was no car present.
Tom Manger, Chief of the United States Capitol Police released a statement identifying the attack on Paul Pelosi as “an alarming reminder of the dangerous threats elected officials and public figures face during today’s contentious political climate.”
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