SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — David DePape was formally charged on Monday for a brutal attack at the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and now his adopted father, Gene DePape, is speaking out.

David DePape, 42, of Richmond is accused of breaking into Paul Pelosi’s home that he shares with Speaker Pelosi with the intent to kidnap her. Instead he allegedly attacked and bludgeoned Paul Pelosi in the couple’s Pacific Heights home.

Gene says he entered David’s life when he was only one year old. By the time David was a three-year-old, Gene had adopted him after marrying David’s mother. Gene and David’s biological mother split up in 1993, but David continued living with Gene until the late 90s.

David was “never in trouble as a kid,” Gene tells KRON4. He went on to describe David as “mild, gentle and kind.” Gene says he was surprised to hear about the attack.

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According to Gene and his current wife Teresa DePape, David’s step-mother, the family hasn’t seen David in about 20 years, and though he was reclusive he was “never violent.” Gene tells KRON4 that the last time he saw David was in 2003 when David and his sister had dinner with him.

Gene says that he does not know of any child abuse that David suffered as he was raised by family including his biological mother. Though he and his wife have kept up with the news, Gene says he has not yet talked to authorities about David or this case.