WASHINGTON, Oct 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Paul Pelosi, the husband of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is recovering from surgery after being attacked at home by a hammer-wielding intruder.
Pelosi, 82, was left with a fractured skull and serious injuries to his right arm and hands.
The suspect is said to have demanded to see Nancy Pelosi after breaking into the San Francisco home.
A 42-year-old man has been arrested on charges including attempted homicide.
No motive is known.
Nancy – who was on the other side of the country in Washington DC at the time of the assault – flew back to see her husband in hospital.
Pelosi was admitted to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital for an operation and doctors expect a full recovery, said Nancy Pelosi’s spokesman, Drew Hammill.
In a news conference, San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said officers had responded to a call at around 02:27 local time (09:27 GMT) on Friday.
They found Pelosi and the suspect – named by police as David DePape – struggling over a hammer, but it was wrested from Pelosi by the intruder, who violently assaulted him with it. Pelosi was bludgeoned at least once, said police.
The suspect, who was tackled and disarmed by officers, is also facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and several other felonies, Chief Scott said.
Chief Scott told a Friday evening news conference that the alleged intruder was currently in hospital, though he declined to share details about his medical condition.
Nancy Pelosi is one of the most powerful politicians in the country. She was re-elected to a fourth term as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2021, making her second in line to the presidency after Vice-President Kamala Harris.
Her husband, the multimillionaire founder of a venture capital firm, lives primarily in San Francisco, where he was born and raised.
The couple have been married since 1963 and have five children. Their combined net worth, primarily from Pelosi’s investments, has made her one of the richest members of Congress.
In a statement, the White House said President Joe Biden was “praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi’s whole family”. — NNN-AGENCIES
