The husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Paul, has been “violently assaulted” with a hammer this morning in a San Francisco home invasion, leaving him with blunt force injuries, the congresswoman’s spokesperson and reports say.
“Early this morning, an assailant broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi,” spokesperson Drew Hammill said. “The assailant is in custody and the motivation for the attack is under investigation.” Hammill added, “Mr. Pelosi was taken to the hospital, where he is receiving excellent medical care and is expected to make a full recovery.”
The spokesperson also said, “The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time.”
The White House said President Biden is “is praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi’s whole family” following the “horrible attack.”
The San Francisco Police Department said that officers responded at around 2:27 a.m. Friday for a report of a home break-in.
“During this incident an 82-year-old male victim was attacked, and the suspect was taken into custody,” the statement added. Police are expected to provide a further update at a press conference later Friday.
Two sources with knowledge of the investigation into the attack told the Associated Press that Paul Pelosi, 82, was severely beaten with a hammer and suffered blunt force injuries to his head and body. The sources said Pelosi is being treated for injuries including bruising and severe swelling.
The U.S. Capitol Police said in its own statement that it is “assisting the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the San Francisco Police with a joint investigation into a break-in at the California home of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.”
“Special Agents with the USCP’s California Field Office quickly arrived on-scene, while a team of investigators from the Department’s Threat Assessment Section was simultaneously dispatched from the East Coast to assist the FBI and the San Francisco Police with a joint investigation,” it continued. “The law enforcement agencies will provide more information when it can be released. “
The statement also said Nancy Pelosi “was in Washington, D.C. with her protective detail at the time of the overnight, break-in.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said “what happened to Paul Pelosi was a dastardly act.
“I spoke with Speaker Pelosi earlier this morning and conveyed my deepest concern and heartfelt wishes to her husband and their family, and I wish him a speedy recovery,” he said in a statement.
Friday’s reported attack is not the first time the Pelosi’s Pacific Heights property has been targeted recently.
In 2021, photos surfaced on social media and TMZ showing graffiti on a San Francisco garage door purportedly at the home of the Democratic congressional leader. The apparently spray-painted message read “$2K” with a line through it.
“Cancel Rent?” “We want everything!” Another line appeared to read, “UBI!” referring to the concept of universal basic income.
A spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department told reporters at the time that officers responded to the reported vandalism around 2 a.m. Friday. “Unidentified suspect(s) had painted graffiti on the garage door and left a pig’s head on the sidewalk,” they said.