The quiet tinkle of the glass shards falling to the floor was soon overpowered by the crunch of the intruder’s boots, as he made his way through the now demolished window and into the house. A hammer in his right and zipties clenched in his left hand as he sauntered over to Paul Pelosi: who slept on the bed oblivious. The intruder hunched over Pelosi as he loudly demanded the location of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
In the predawn hours of Friday, October 28 Paul Pelosi was jerked out of his slumber as the intruder, David DePape, grilled him on the location of his wife. Pelosi hazily replied that she would not be here for a couple of days. When DePape stated that he would tie Pelosi up, Pelosi was quick to look for a way out but when DePape blocked any and all exits Pelosi eventually retired back to his bed. Pelosi soon asked DePape what precisely he hoped to accomplish, to which DePape allegedly replied, “Well, she’s No. 2 in line for the presidency, right? We’ve got to take them all out.”
Quick Thinking
After some time, Pelosi requested to use the washroom in which his phone was charging, after entering the room he dialed 911 and turned the speaker function on. Pelosi allegedly spoke to the 911 operator in code as DePape stood but 3 feet away watching the call unfold.
Pelosi stated, “Uh, he [DePape] thinks everything’s good. Uh, I’ve got a problem, but he thinks everything’s good.”
The operator went on to ask if Pelosi knew this man but Pelosi was quick to inform him that he had never seen this man in his life and shared his name and address. As soon as Pelosi slipped this piece of information DePape demanded that he get off the phone at once, which Pelosi went on to tell the dispatcher and DePape forced Pelosi off the phone. However, unbeknownst to them both the dispatcher had already sent police officers to their location.
DePape was aware that they may have a run in with law enforcement soon, and he walked them both back to the broken window where his backpack lay. He threatened Pelosi: “I can take you out,” and stalked closer to the Speaker’s husband with his hammer raised. Pelosi, in fear of being striked, grabbed the hammer as the police officers rang the doorbell. DePape frantically told Pelosi to not open the door, however, Pelosi seeing his chance swiftly wrenched the door open to see two officers dimly lit by their flashlights.
Pelosi greeted the officers as DePape stated that there was nothing wrong, hoping to send them back as soon as possible. The officers happened to flash their lights onto the hammer and Pelosi’s hand grasped in DePape’s. The officers immediately demanded that he put the hammer down, to which DePape allegedly stated, “um, nope,” as he raised the hammer and brought it crashing down onto Paul Pelosi’s head. The two officers tackled DePape and disarmed him as Pelosi fell to the ground unconscious.
Recovery
Pelosi remained unresponsive for 3 minutes before waking up in a pool of his own blood to see flashing lights and DePape being arrested. When interrogated after being brought in, DePape stated that his plan was to have “a little chat with his [Paul Pelosi’s] wife.” He also stated that if he felt that she was lying he would break her kneecaps so that she would be “wheeled into Congress, which would show other members of Congress there were consequences to actions.”
When asked why DePape did not leave when Pelosi called the cops he claimed that his movement was like that of the founding fathers of America: “he was fighting against tyranny without the option of surrender.” He also alleged that he could not be stopped as he had other targets as well, “a local professor, several prominent state and federal politicians and relatives of those officials.”
Soon after the incident Pelosi was taken to Stanford Head Trauma and Critical Care and treated for a fractured skull by Dr. David Spain. When interviewed his doctor stated that cerebral injuries can be hard to come back from and that the patient could be hospitalized for weeks. Thankfully, Pelosi was seen back in his house on November 3. Dr. Spain remarked that “the fact that he was well enough to go home in six days is really pretty remarkable.” In the end, DePape has been arrested, Paul Pelosi is well on the way to recovery in the safety of his home, and officials are looking into how future attacks can be prevented.
By: Niharika Rajeev