Nancy Pelosi says family ‘heartbroken and traumatized’ after husband’s violent attack

In a letter to fellow members of Congress Saturday night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote that her husband is recovering after brutally attacked at the couple’s home in San Francisco early Friday morning.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives wrote that the condition of 82-year-old Paul Pelosi “continues to improve.”

“Our children, our grandchildren and I are heartbroken and traumatized by the life-threatening attack on our Pope,” she wrote. “We are grateful for the quick response of law enforcement and emergency services, as well as the life-saving medical care he received.”

Authorities said a man broke into Pelosi’s home and attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer. According to a source briefed on the incident, the suspect allegedly yelled, “Where’s Nancy? Where’s Nancy,” before carrying out the attack.

Later Friday, Paul Pelosi “underwent successful surgery to repair a fractured skull and serious injuries to his right arm and hands” in the attack, the speaker’s office said in a statement.

“Please know that the prayers and well wishes of many members of Congress are comforting our family and helping Paul make progress in his recovery,” Nancy Pelosi wrote in her letter.

The suspect, David Wayne Depapp, 42, of nearby Berkeley, broke into the home through the back door around 2 a.m. Friday, police said. At the time of the terrorist attack, Nancy Pelosi was in Washington, DC.

The police did not comment on the motives, but said it was “not a random act,“and that it was purposeful.

A senior federal law enforcement official told CBS News that Paul Pelosi was able to call 911 during the home invasion and leave the line open. The dispatcher asked what happened and didn’t get an answer, but heard that someone had allegedly been threatened. The dispatcher, who did not know whose house it was, decided to send 911 because someone’s life appeared to be in danger, according to the official.

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott on Friday praised the 911 dispatcher “for her intuition and quick thinking,” calling her actions “lifesaving.”

“Her actions, in my opinion, led to both a higher priority dispatch and a faster police response,” Scott said.

Scott said responding officers witnessed the suspect attack Paul Pelosi with a hammer. Scott told reporters that officers kicked in the front door and had it “opened by someone from the inside” to find Paul Pelosi and the suspect just inside the home’s driveway fighting for control of a hammer.

After officers ordered both men to drop the hammer, the suspect wrestled it from Pelosi’s hands and “attacked him violently,” Scott said.

At that point, officers entered the home, grabbed the suspect, grabbed the hammer and arrested him, Scott said.

According to authorities, the suspect will be charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary and a number of other crimes.

A CBS News review of DePape’s alleged social media posts shows him spreading conspiracy theories about Holocaust denial, pedophiles in government and allegations that Democrats run child sex rings.

The attack came less than two weeks before the midterm elections. President Biden, speaking at a Democratic Party fundraiser in Pennsylvania on Friday night, called it “disgusting.”

“There is too much violence, too much political violence, too much hatred, too much violence,” Mr. Biden said.

— Rebecca Kaplan and Christina Ruffini contributed to this report