San Francisco police have reportedly changed their story of how many people were in the Pelosi home at the time of the early Friday morning attack on Paul Pelosi, the 82-year-old husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), saying it just Paul and accused attacker 42-year-old David DePape–and that the two men did not know each other.
Also Sunday, CNN reported sources told them DePape brought zip ties, duct tape and the hammer with him to the Pelosi home.
At a Friday press conference Police Chief Bill Scott told reporters that when responding officers knocked on the front door, the door was opened by “someone inside” and that officers observed Paul Pelosi and David DePape wrestling over a hammer. The officers did not enter the home, instead they ordered the two men to drop the hammer and that DePape then took control of the hammer and beat Pelosi with it.
Sunday morning, NBC News reporter Tom Winter reported on Meet the Press there was a third person in the Pelosi home at the time of the attack and that DePape had been able to “get into the Pelosi bedroom where Paul Pelosi was.”
WATCH: DePape gained access to Speaker Pelosi’s bedroom, San Francisco DA tells @Tom_Winter.
“[He has] been interviewed by police. …[He is] expected to be charged on state charges tomorrow. … Federal authorities could move forward with charges in a parallel investigation.” pic.twitter.com/XYdy6NNZlN
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) October 30, 2022
From Meet the Press transcript:
CHUCK TODD:
Let’s get the latest on where this investigation stands. I’m joined now by our Investigative Correspondent Tom Winter. So Tom, we know that there’s multiple law enforcement agencies involved. We know that the suspect, David DePape, is going to be charged tomorrow. What else have you learned overnight?
TOM WINTER:
Right. Some important details I think you might find interesting, Chuck. And so, our understanding now is that this individual, David DePape, as you alluded to, 42, no known address, no recent employment that we’re aware of, was able to get into the Pelosi bedroom, where Paul Pelosi was. All of that according to District Attorney Brooke Jenkins in an interview with NBC News yesterday. She said that this individual has been interviewed by police, so it indicates that he is at least talking to them, which might help out figuring, not only why he was there, what his specific motive was, but perhaps just as importantly, what he intended to do when he was there. Certainly, anybody that brought a hammer and attempted to kill Paul Pelosi is somebody that probably had some pretty violent intents if the speaker was there, but we’re hopeful to get some more information about that. As you said, he’s expected to be charged on state charges tomorrow. She also indicated that it’s possible that federal authorities could move forward with charges in a parallel investigation or a parallel case as well, some time in the future.
CHUCK TODD:
You know, there’s been, a lot of the reports have indicated sort of how police got there and they witnessed the beating at the time. And there seems to be a hint that there was a third person in the house. You’ve got some new details on that, as well, Tom. What can you tell us?
TOM WINTER:
Well, that’s correct, Chuck. So the police chief came out and did a press conference later on Friday when most people had already started to go to bed on the East Coast. And in that press conference, he stated that there was a third person inside the house that opened the door for police when they were called to that house. And that’s when they saw the struggle over the hammer between DePape and Pelosi. And then DePape, according to police, struck Pelosi in the head with that hammer. You know, we’ve done an analysis on DePape’s social media and blog posts over the years, and both law enforcement and our analysis, kind of the same in this regard, that he had some fringe left-wing views, some fringe right-wing views. But, according to our own Ben Collins, really over the last year or so, Chuck, this individual went to the alt-right-, far-right-type ideology that we’ve seen, talking QAnon, talking Pizzagate, and then just a lot of very anti-Semitic postings.
Sunday afternoon Winter reported that police have changed their story, “NEW: The San Fransisco (sic) PD tells NBC News that Paul Pelosi and the accused attacker David DePape did not know each other prior to the assault at the Pelosi home on Friday, @anblanx reports…MORE: The SFPD also says that there were only TWO people inside the Pelosi home (Paul Pelosi and DePape) when they responded, clarifying statements made at Friday’s press conference which seemed to indicate there was a third person inside the home who opened the door. (2/2)”
MORE: The SFPD also says that there were only TWO people inside the Pelosi home (Paul Pelosi and DePape) when they responded, clarifying statements made at Friday’s press conference which seemed to indicate there was a third person inside the home who opened the door. (2/2)
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) October 30, 2022
Winter responded to a question by former CNNer Steve Krakauer about the reported break-in, “There’s a broken door/ window and glass in photos at the rear entrance to the house where police allege DePape entered. We’ve asked for body camera video and 9-1-1 calls.”
There’s a broken door/ window and glass in photos at the rear entrance to the house where police allege DePape entered.
We’ve asked for body camera video and 9-1-1 calls.
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) October 30, 2022
The man who is alleged to have attacked Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with a hammer in the couple’s San Francisco home had with him a bag that contained multiple zip ties, among other things, according to two sources who have been briefed on the incident.
In addition to the zip ties, the suspect also had duct tape on him, according to a law enforcement source.
David DePape, 42, faces charges of attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary and other felonies in relation to the Friday morning attack, said San Francisco Police Chief William Scott.
The hammer that was used to assault Paul Pelosi was brought by DePape, according to a law enforcement source and a senior congressional aide briefed on the assault.
Neither source knew of any other weapons found when DePape was detained.
NBC News reported later on Sunday the presence of zip ties (excerpt):
Zip ties were found at the scene of the attack of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband by an intruder at the couple’s California home, the San Francisco Police Department told NBC News Sunday.
Police did not specify how many zip ties were found or the intended purpose for them. A motive for the attack remains under investigation.
The only people who were at the home during the violent break-in early Friday were Paul Pelosi, 82, and David DePape, the 42-year-old suspect who faces charges that include attempted murder, the San Francisco PD, clarifying remarks made by it’s chief Bill Scott in a press conference Friday.
The inconsistencies in details of the attack reported by police and the various leaks by investigators have left room for wild speculation and rumors, not to mention the naked partisan attempts by Democrats and their allies in the media to score points against Republicans just days before the mid-term elections.
On Meet the Press on Sunday, NBC reporter Garrett Haake tried to shut down a Republican strategist Brad Todd who dared bring up Democrats inciting violence (excerpt from a longer list of examples by Brad Todd.)
From Meet the Press transcript:
BRAD TODD:– Maxime Waters says “Get in their face. If they’re in a restaurant, get in their face. Tell them they’re not welcome here.” I mean, you’re seeing plenty of this sort of motivation from people on both —
GARRETT HAAKE: Banging pots and pans in a neighborhood or telling someone they’re not welcome in a restaurant is not the same as going into their home and hitting them with a hammer. I mean, we’re talk —
BRAD TODD: Absolutely no one —
GARRETT HAAKE: Protest is not the same as violence.
Video (note the look of condescension on Haake’s face):
WATCH: “Protest is not the same as violence,” @GarrettHaake says as the panel discusses political violence.
“Banging pots and pans in a neighborhood or telling someone they’re not welcome in a restaurant is not the same as going into their home and hitting them with a hammer.” pic.twitter.com/cvnnPIt6oG
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) October 30, 2022
How long before the “Where’s Nancy?” claim is ‘clarified’?
