San Francisco police have released body camera footage of the moment Paul Pelosi was attacked in his home by an assailant with a hammer last October.
Pelosi, 82, was seen greeting responding officers at his front door while his right arm was restrained by suspect David DePape who was wielding a hammer. Pelosi initially appeared calm as police opened the door. Officers instructed DePape to relinquish the hammer, but he replied, “um, nope,” and Pelosi then broke free. At that point, the video shows DePape raising the hammer into the air and viciously striking Pelosi on the head.
Police officers then quickly rushed to restrain DePape, pinning him to the ground before radioing in for medics and backup.
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT
#EXCLUSIVE
Just released police body camera video shows moments David DePape attacked Paul Pelosi at his# San Francisco homeWARNING: VIDEO IS GRAPHIC#PaulPelosi #BREAKING@Nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/rQZriBvOCm
— Bigad Shaban (@BigadShaban) January 27, 2023
Pelosi later received surgery to “repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands,” a spokesperson for his wife said.
The bodycam footage was released in a tranche along with a cryptic phone call Paul Pelosi made to police during a brief bathroom break away from DePape and Capitol Police surveillance camera footage of the break-in.
During the call with police, Pelosi appeared flustered by DePape’s break-in and appeared to parse his words carefully.
“There’s a gentleman here just waiting for my wife to come back. Nancy Pelosi. He’s just waiting for her to come back, but she’s not going to be here for days so I guess we’ll have to wait,” he told a dispatcher.
When asked if he needed police, fire, or medical, Pelosi replied, “I don’t think so.” But DePape appeared to be monitoring parts of the conversation. At one point, DePape was heard telling the dispatcher that he was a friend of the family. Pelosi later ended the conversation, claiming DePape told him he needed to stop talking to the dispatcher.
Capitol Police surveillance showed DePape laying down some items at the exterior of the home and then smashing a back door with his hammer to break into the house.
Surveillance footage of DePape breaking into the Pelosi home was also released. Recall that many right wing conspiracy theorists claimed the break in was staged. pic.twitter.com/EuVcXmPM4O
— nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) January 27, 2023
The footage was ordered to be released by the San Francisco Superior Court earlier this week after a coalition of news outlets challenged the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office’s refusal to release the tranche, fearing it could feed misinformation fodder.
In the early morning hours of Oct. 28, 2022, DePape allegedly stormed into the Pelosi home and asked, “Where’s Nancy? Where’s Nancy?” He allegedly brought white zip ties with him during the break-in, according to court records.
Meanwhile, his wife, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), was out of town in Washington, D.C., during the attack.
DePape later confessed to the assault after he was apprehended, according to police. He has pleaded not guilty to a slew of both state and federal charges lodged against him. His legal team opposed the release of the audio and video footage material, arguing it could undercut his chances of getting a fair trial.
Nancy Pelosi told reporters Thursday that her husband is recovering “one day at a time” and indicated that she does not plan to watch the footage.
“He’s made some progress, but it’ll be about at least three more months, I think, until he’ll be back to normal, but the prayers are very helpful,” Nancy Pelosi said, per CNN. “It would be a very hard thing to see an assault on my husband’s life. But I don’t know.”
BREAKING: The 911 Call from the night of the attack on Paul Pelosi has been released pic.twitter.com/Abfc9lfmwp
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) January 27, 2023
Just a little lovers quarrel! Paul forgot the lube! Nothing to see here!
To start with, No way in hell a well known couple like the Pelosi’s lived there and the local police didn’t know who was at that residence. The Pelosi family is a group of liars and money mongers. The local cops are liars. THESE HOLLY WOOD CORRUPTED THEIVES ALL SHOULD BE THROWN IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, FOR MISLEADING THE PUBLIC. NANCY PELOSI, SHOULD BE HUNG AND QUARTERED
The glass he allegedly broke was on the outside not inside. The place was pretty well lit up like from a camera not body cam. Pelosi could’ve used his left hand to fend him off. Lovers quarrel at best. He didn’t hit him hard enough because he was released a few days later. Also the cops response should’ve A he’ll of allot quicker. Not buying it.
Palosi had the hammer in HIS hand and Depape took it from him. Sorry not buyin it! Something fishy goin on!