In an America where threats of violence against elected officials and federal employees have doubled since the Capitol, the husband of Nancy Pelosi was attacked with a hammer at their home in San Francisco, on the night of Thursday to Friday. The attack provokes strong emotion among American politicians, 11 days before the mid-term elections.
According to police sources from the New York Times and CNN, the attacker allegedly shouted “Where’s Nancy, where’s Nancy?” before hitting her husband, who was hospitalized. The Speaker of the House was in Washington at the time of the attack, authorities confirmed. The suspect was arrested.
Mitch McConnell “horrified”
“Early this morning, an assailant broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi,” Drew Hammill said in a statement. Paul Pelosi, 82, was transferred to hospital, where he is receiving “excellent care”, added the spokesperson. According to the AP agency, he was injured in the head.
This attack comes as federal authorities had warned of an increase in threats against elected officials and federal agents. The leader of the Republicans in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, said he was “horrified and revolted”, and specified that the Capitol police were mobilized. Among the Democrats, Chuck Schumer denounced a “cowardly” act.