Pelosi spouse attacker faces charges

The man who clubbed US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband in the head with a hammer, shouting "Where is Nancy?" after forcing his way into the couple's San Francisco home, faced charges of attempted murder and other felonies a day later.

Police have not offered a motive for Friday's assault on Paul Pelosi, who according to his wife's office underwent surgery for a skull fracture and injuries to his hands and right arm, though doctors expect a full recovery.

US President Joe Biden, speaking to reporters in Delaware on Saturday, said the attack appeared to have been "intended for Nancy."

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

The 82-year-old House speaker herself, a Democrat who is second in the constitutional line of succession to the US presidency, was in Washington DC at the time of the assault.

She flew to San Francisco hours after the attack to be with her husband, and released a statement on Saturday expressing dismay that "a violent man broke into our family home, demanded to confront me and brutally attacked my husband Paul."

"Our children, our grandchildren and I are heartbroken and traumatized by the life-threatening attack on our Pop," she said in the brief statement, addressed to her congressional colleagues.

"His condition continues to improve," she wrote.

Earlier in the day, Paul Pelosi Jr, the couple's son, was seen outside Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, where his father, a real estate and ­venture capital executive, was being treated. Asked by a reporter for an update on his father, he replied, "So far, so good."

Police identified the man arrested at the scene as David ­DePape, 42. He, too, was taken to a San Francisco hospital, but it was not made clear whether he was there for medical or psychiatric care or both.

Online sheriff's records showed he was booked into custody on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, battery, burglary, threatening a public official or family member, and other felonies. Formal charges will be filed on Monday, and his arraignment is expected on Tuesday, according to the San Francisco district attorney's office.