Summary
We’re winding down our live coverage for the day. Here’s what you should know about the attack on Paul Pelosi, the House speaker’s husband:
Paul Pelosi is recovering after a successful surgery for a skull fracture and “serious injuries” to his arm and hands, a spokesperson for Nancy Pelosi said.
Police have identified the suspect as 42-year-old David DePape, who faces charges of attempted homicide, elder abuse, burglary, and several other felonies for allegedly breaking into the couple’s San Francisco home and attacking the 82-year-old with a hammer. DePape was allegedly looking for the speaker, shouting “Where is Nancy?”
Police have said they are still trying to determine a motive. Some Democrats have referred to the attack as an “assassination attempt”.
DePape was reportedly a follower of the rightwing conspiracy theory QAnon and had a blog where he embraced conspiracy theories about January 6, the 2020 election and Covid. A relative said DePape has mental health issues and refused contact with family.
Updated
Julián Castro, the former Democratic presidential candidate and housing secretary, is calling for more security for Nancy Pelosi after the attack on the speaker’s husband.
Protection is provided to family members of the President and VP but not to family of the Speaker of the House. That’s not good enough at a time when too many people, moved by hatred and paranoia stoked by Trump and right-wing media, embrace violence as a means to achieve power.
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) October 28, 2022
