U.S. Capitol Police surveillance video taken from outside Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) home in San Francisco shows the suspect who allegedly attacked her husband in October 2022 breaking into the residence.
The footage, released on Jan. 27, appears to show the suspect, David DePape, looking into the home, walking away, and then returning with several bags. The suspect is then seen looking through the bags for several minutes.
After about 2 a.m. local time on Oct. 28, 2022, DePape starts attempting to break a window with what appears to be a hammer. After about 30 seconds, he’s seen climbing through the window.
The video appears to dispel speculation that DePape may have been invited into the Pelosi home rather than breaking in, although significant questions still remain. It isn’t clear why there wasn’t an alarm or other security features outside the home of Pelosi, a former House speaker and one of the most powerful people in Washington.
Authorities say that DePape then accosted her husband, Paul Pelosi, while he was sleeping before demanding to know where the then-House speaker was. Body camera footage that was released on Jan. 27 appears to show DePape, 43, striking Pelosi, 82, with a hammer after police arrived at the residence and asked DePape to drop the hammer.
“Drop the hammer,” one of the officers tells the suspect.
“Nope,” DePape replies before taking it from Pelosi and attacking him with it.
Because of the angle of the body camera, the actual attack isn’t shown on camera.
The officers are then seen tackling DePape while Pelosi is seen lying on the ground, motionless. As the officers restrain DePape, they place handcuffs on him.
A Superior Court judge ordered that the footage be released to the public after a coalition of media outlets, including The Associated Press, requested that it be unsealed.
Over the weekend, DePape gave a phone interview to a local media outlet and allegedly said he wanted to commit more attacks. The suspect said individual liberties are under attack by Washington politicians.
“I want to apologize to everyone. I messed up. What I did was really bad. I’m so sorry I didn’t get more of them. It’s my own fault. No one else is to blame. I should have come better prepared.”
DePape has pleaded not guilty in state and federal cases and is being held without bail. He faces charges including attempted murder, elder abuse, and assaulting an immediate family member of a federal official.
San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Adam Lipson, who represents DePape, called the video’s release a “terrible mistake.”
Other Details
After DePape confronted Paul Pelosi in his bedroom, Pelosi tried to make it to an elevator in the home to reach a phone, but DePape blocked his way, authorities previously said. Pelosi then told DePape that he had to use the restroom, where his cellphone was charging, allowing him to call 911.Police praised a dispatcher, who could hear DePape in the background, for recognizing the threat despite Pelosi’s calm voice and coding the call as a priority, resulting in a faster police response.
In an interview with San Francisco Police Lt. Carla Hurley after he was taken into custody, DePape said he didn’t regret the attack, even though it wasn’t against Nancy Pelosi, his intended target.
DePape said the attack happened very quickly, and he recalled how it took the officers by surprise.
“I yank the hammer away from him, I jump into action,” he said. “They jump into action. They’re like on top of me instantly.”
