The October 28, 2022, attack on Pelosi, 82, sent him to the hospital for emergency surgery to repair a skull fracture. The accused, David DePape, has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and the release of the footage came after it was shown in court as part of the case against DePape.
The whole incident unfolded in a few brief moments a little after 2:30 a.m. local time. The footage shows several officers responding to the call, approaching the Pelosi home and knocking on the front door.
Warning: the following footage may disturb some viewers. Discretion is advised.
"What's going on man?" an officer asks them.
"Everything is good," DePape responds, struggling with Pelosi’s hand on the hammer.
"Drop the hammer!" the officer commands.
"Umm, nope," DePape replies, before wrestling the hammer away from Pelosi and immediately swinging it over his head at Pelosi.
3 November 2022, 02:45 GMT
“Oh sh*t!” one of the officers says and they pile into the house. Pelosi had fallen on the hallway floor after the blow, and the police pushed DePape down on top of him.
The officers then wrestle with DePape, demanding he give them his hand.
Briefly, the camera pans down at Pelosi, while he lies motionless on the floor, and a puddle of blood seems to be visible near his head. He would later be rushed to the emergency room with a skull fracture. He is expected to make a full recovery.
DePape, 42, was apprehended and charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and elder abuse, as well as federal charges of assaulting an immediate family member of a federal official and attempted kidnapping of a federal officer. He has pleaded guilty to all charges.
According to prosecutors, DePape raved to police about a number of conspiracy theories after being arrested. They said he invaded the Pelosi residence with the intention of taking the House speaker hostage. He repeatedly demanded to know from Paul where she was - she was in fact in Washington, DC, on the other side of the country at the time.
He also reportedly intended to target other public figures, including Governor Gavin Newsom, US President Joe Biden’s prodigal businessman son Hunter Biden, and Hollywood actor Tom Hanks.