Attacker Was Searching For US Speaker In Attack On Husband: Report

An intruder who attacked the husband of the US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a hammer had broken into their California home in search of the top Democrat, her spokesman said Friday.

A hacker attacked the husband of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a hammer, breaking his skull, after storming their California home on Friday in search of her.

Pelosi's spokesman, Drew Hamill, said Pelosi "was attacked at home by an assailant who acted forcefully and threatened his life while demanding to see the speaker."

Paul Pelosi, 82, was -

who underwent surgery and is recovering in the hospital - at home alone, as his wife worked in Washington.

San Francisco police said officers found the attacker at the couple's home just before 2:30 a.m. (0930 GMT), where he and Paul Pelosi were fighting over a hammer.

The suspect pulled the hammer away from the master.

San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott told reporters, "Pelosi and violently assaulted him.

The assailant was named 42-year-old David Dibab, but he refused to answer questions and did not provide additional details.

The American media, citing family sources, said that the intruder told Paul Pelosi that he would handcuff him and wait for the spokesman to arrive at the house.

.

The victim was able to call 911 while the man was distracted, according to an account provided by cable network MSNBC.

And local media had reported earlier that the intruder shouted, "Where's Nancy?" During the attack, however, police told reporters that the motive had not yet been determined.

Scott said that Debaby would be charged with attempted murder,

Assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and other felonies.

"Pelosi was admitted to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, where he underwent successful surgery to repair a fractured skull and severe injuries to his right arm and hands," a spokesman added.

His doctors expect a full recovery.

Nancy Pelosi -

Who's second to the presidency - and the couple's five sons were reported to have returned to San Francisco to be on his side.

The White House said President Joe Biden called the 82-year-old Democrat to express his support for the "horrific attack" and was praying for her husband.

"he is...

Very happy that a full recovery is expected. "The president continues to condemn all acts of violence and asks that the family's desire for privacy be respected," Biden's press secretary Karen-Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

- 'Disgusted' -

The Wall Street Journal reported that the intruder broke into a sliding glass door,

Citing unnamed law enforcement officers, he sustained head and body injuries.

One of the officers told the daily he had taken far-right stances on social media, including conspiracy theories about Covid-19.

With less than two weeks to go before the crucial midterm elections in the United States,

Members of both parties sounded the alarm about the possibility of political violence.

According to the Washington Capitol Police, threats against lawmakers have doubled since 2017 to nearly 10,000 in 2021.

Members of both parties rallied to support Pelosi on social media,

Many indicated that the attack was an inevitable consequence of increased violent political discourse.

Adam Kinzinger, the Republican member of the House committee investigating the January 2021 attack on the US Capitol, blamed conspiracy theories spread by Donald Trump and his far-right followers for radicalizing some supporters.

"I want to be clear: When you convince people that politicians are rigging elections and drinking children's blood and so on, you will be exposed to violence. This should be rejected," he said of Friday's attack.

House Republican whip Steve Scalise said he was "disgusted" by the attack.

BY
ProBuzzFeed