(Observer Network News) According to Reuters and CNN local time on October 28, more and more details of the attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are being exposed. The suspect, now identified as 42-year-old David DePape, attacked Paul with a hammer after breaking into Pelosi's home, and shouted during the crime: "Where is Nancy?" ”
DePep has been arrested and detained by the police, and US media reports say that he often publishes anti-Semitic, anti-LGBT far-right remarks online, spreads conspiracy theories, and is a fan of former US President Trump. Paul Pelosi, 82, suffered a fractured skull and injured his right arm and hands, and was taken to hospital for treatment. He has now undergone surgery, and people familiar with the matter said he is expected to make a full recovery.
Mr. and Mrs. Pelosi
According to the report, the incident happened in the early morning of the 28th, and the suspect David DePepp broke into the home of Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, in San Francisco. Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, called 911 at the time, but did not directly say that he was attacked, but used a "code" to call the police.
The US media Politico News Network quoted a person familiar with the matter as saying that Paul told the intruder DePep that he needed to go to the toilet, and his mobile phone was charging in the bathroom at the time, and then Paul took the opportunity to call the police.
San Francisco police said they acted quickly and arrived at the scene of the crime within two minutes. Police entered Pelosi's home at 2:27 a.m. local time, and they saw 82-year-old Paul Pelosi fighting with the suspect for a hammer, and the body camera on the police recorded the fight between the two.
"The suspect snatched a hammer from Mr Pelosi and slammed it into him. Our officers immediately subdued the suspect, disarmed and detained him, then requested emergency support and provided medical assistance. San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said. He said police arrested Depep and detained him on suspicion of intentional homicide, assault with lethal weapons, elder abuse and several other felonies.
Pelosi's home was broken into by attackers Video screenshot
People familiar with the matter said that the suspect DePepp's target was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who forced her husband after breaking into Pelosi's home: "Where is Nancy?" Where is Nancy? DePep also tried to tie up Paul Pelosi "until Nancy came home." When police arrived at the scene, DePep yelled that he was "waiting for Nancy."
Reuters reported that U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was in Washington at the time of the attack, protected by security personnel.
Paul Pelosi, who was attacked, was rushed to the hospital for treatment afterwards. Drew Hammill, a spokeswoman for Nancy Pelosi, issued a statement that evening saying that Paul had suffered a fractured skull, serious injuries to his right arm and hands, and had successfully undergone repair surgery, and doctors said he was expected to make a full recovery.
In addition, people familiar with the matter said that Nancy Pelosi had spoken to her husband after the crime and before the operation, and she flew to San Francisco with her family that day and is currently accompanying her husband in the hospital.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins revealed that the suspect, David DePep, had suffered "some minor injuries" and that police had questioned him. Jenkins declined to provide further details, "Given that the investigation is still ongoing, there is no information to be released at this time." ”
Police cordoned off the streets near Pelosi's home
CNN reported that the suspect DePep is a long-core fan of the American far-right and conspiracy theory group "QAnon."
He posted multiple posts and videos on Facebook last year, including far-right content such as "transphobic pictures," "the 2020 presidential election was stolen," and "George Floyd died of a drug overdose," as well as conspiracy theories such as "the new crown vaccine is deadly" and "the new crown virus is a hoax".
In addition, CNN also exposed an Internet user with the same name as the suspect DePepp, "David Depape", this account has repeatedly posted anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ remarks.
"David Depape" accused LGBTQ people of "inducing" children and made clear his support for former US President Donald Trump, saying in a post that any journalist who said there was no election fraud in the 2020 election "should be dragged straight to the street and shot."
The Associated Press also reported that the "daviddepape" post also featured content supporting the "QAnon" conspiracy theory, which claimed that "the United States is ruled by an underground group of child sex traffickers, pedophiles and cannibals who hunt babies."
CNN said it could not confirm that "David Depape" was the attack suspect DePep, but his post was similar to DePep's Facebook post last year, which has been confirmed by two of DePep's relatives.
Police pulled up a cordon near Pelosi's home
Although the police have not released DePep's motive, US President Joe Biden has linked the case to right-wing extremism in the United States.
Biden angrily denounced the attack as "despicable" at a fundraising dinner on the 28th, "There is too much violence, political violence, too much hatred, too mean." ”
Biden said the attacker's "Where is Nancy" was the slogan used by the rioters in the January 6 Capitol riot. He said that if this environment of extreme violence had not been created, there would have been no conspiracies like "election stealing" and "coronavirus hoax".
"Why do we think it won't erode the political climate?" Biden questioned, "That's really enough." Every person of conscience needs to stand up clearly and unequivocally against violence. ”
Biden said he had spoken to House Speaker Pelosi on the phone and offered his condolences and helped arrange her return to San Francisco. In addition, US Vice President Harris, Senator Republican leader Mitch McConnell and many other high-ranking officials of both parties in the United States voiced condemnation of the incident and sent blessings to Pelosi and her family.
Reuters reported that the case occurred just 11 days before the US midterm elections. In an environment of polarized U.S. politics, physical threats against Democratic and Republican lawmakers have been increasing in recent years. The Capitol Police said they investigated 9,625 cases of threats or assaults against lawmakers in 2021, a nearly threefold increase from 2017.
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