Here’s What Paul Pelosi’s Attacker Told a Reporter During Call From Jail Following Bodycam Footage
Paul Pelosi Attacker’s Chilling Call With Reporter: ‘Sorry I Didn’t Get More of Them’
The man whom law enforcement allege assaulted Paul Pelosi with a hammer last October unexpectedly telephoned a San Francisco broadcaster.
David DePape, the suspect in the bizarre assault on the husband of then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called the KTVU newsroom Friday. The suspect called from the San Francisco jail where he is being held before his trial on state charges of attempted murder and elder abuse. His call was made the same day San Francisco Superior Court Judge Stephen Murphy ordered prosecutors to release the 911 audiotape and police bodycam footage of the incident at the Pelosi mansion.
KTVU reporter Amber Lee had tried to interview DePape soon after his arrest, according to a report from the broadcaster. The report noted he authorized journalists to record the call at the beginning of his statement. DePape did not allow KTVU reporters to challenge his statements or follow-up with questions, the report added.
DePape said he attacked Pelosi because people’s individual liberties are under attack, according to the report.
“People killing it have names and addresses, so I got their names and addresses so I could pay them a little visit,” he reportedly told KTVU, “have a heart to heart chat about their bad behavior.”
Then, he made a chilling statement that revealed he had planned to target other public officials.
“I want to apologize to everyone. I messed up,” the suspect continued. “What I did was really bad.”
“I’m so sorry I didn’t get more of them,” DePape added. “It’s my own fault. No one else is to blame. I should have come better prepared.”
DePape was arrested October 28, 2022, around 2:30 a.m., after San Francisco police officers responded to a 911 dispatcher’s report, according to an FBI agent’s criminal complaint filed in federal court.
“Pelosi stated words to the effect of there is a male in the home and that the male is going to wait for Pelosi’s wife,” special agent Stephanie Minor informed the court. “Pelosi further conveyed that he does not know who the male is. The male said his name is David.”
The agent’s accuracy was verified upon Friday’s release of the 911 audiotape that unfolded as described in Minor’s criminal complaint.
SFPD Officer Colby Wilmes rang Pelosi’s doorbell and witnessed DePape and Pelosi standing near each other by the front door. Both had one hand on a hammer, which Wilmes instructed them to release. In bodycam footage, DePape may be heard saying, “Um, nope.”
“DEPAPE pulled the hammer from Pelosi’s hand and swung the hammer, striking Pelosi in the head,” the FBI agent added. “Officers immediately went inside and were able to restrain DEPAPE.”
In an interview conducted by SFPD after reading the suspect his rights (known as the Miranda Warning), DePape told detectives he planned to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage and talk to her. The suspect said he would release her if he felt she told the truth, according to the federal criminal complaint. If DePape believed Mrs. Pelosi lied, he planned to break her kneecaps, the complaint added.
DePape told journalists he spent time exposing government corruption online before he was silenced, according to the KTVU report, referring to a website he had owned.