Biden says it appears attack on Paul Pelosi intended for House Speaker

Paul Pelosi, 82, underwent surgery for a skull fracture and injuries to his right arm and hands, though doctors expect a full recovery.

The assault stoked fears about political violence less than two weeks ahead of midterm elections on 8 November that will decide control of the House of Representatives and US Senate, coming amid the most vitriolic and polarized US political climate in decades.

The 82-year-old House speaker herself was in Washington with her protective detail at the time of the assault, but she flew back to San Francisco on Friday afternoon and went to the hospital.

Police identified the man arrested at the scene by officers who intervened in the attack as David DePape, 42. He, too, was hospitalized with minor injuries, although police have spoken to him and he is expected to be formally charged by the San Francisco district attorney on Monday.

He was booked into custody on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, battery, burglary and several other felonies.

Police were dispatched after a cryptic emergency 911 call from the residence. CNN reported that Paul Pelosi managed to call 911 and used coded language as he spoke to the dispatcher.

He recounted that police arriving at the scene caught a glimpse through the front door of DePape and Pelosi struggling over a hammer. As the officers yelled at both men to drop the tool, DePape yanked the hammer away and was seen striking Pelosi at least once, the chief said.

He also railed against the prosecution of white former police officer Derek Chauvin, CNN reported, for the racist murder of George Floyd in 2020, a crime that sparked a racial reckoning and a reflowering of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Older messages promoted quartz crystals and hemp bracelets. Reuters could not confirm that the posts were created by the man arrested on Friday.

The US Capitol police said they investigated 9,625 threats against lawmakers from both parties in 2021, nearly a threefold increase from 2017, amid security concerns.

The home of the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, was also vandalized.