WASHINGTON – San Francisco police released dramatic video footage on Friday of former US house speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul being struck by a hammer as police rushed in to stop his attacker.

The police body camera footage was released alongside a surveillance video showing the alleged attacker, David DePape, 42, smashing through a glass window to get into the couple’s San Francisco home as well as an emergency 911 call from a distressed Mr Pelosi, who was talking to the dispatcher with DePape apparently beside him.

In the body camera footage, two police officers knock on the door at the Pelosis’ home.

When the door opens, Mr Pelosi and DePape can both be seen clutching a large hammer.

DePape tells police officers that “everything’s good”, at which point the officers instruct him to drop the hammer.

DePape then appears to tear the hammer fully away from Mr Pelosi, who is in sleepwear, before striking him with a powerful overhand blow. The two officers then charge inside – one of them shouting an expletive – tackling DePape.

DePape has been indicted on federal attempted kidnapping and assault charges, as well as state charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, elder abuse, false imprisonment and threatening a public official.

He has pleaded not guilty to the state charges. REUTERS