A man identified as Patrick Havas, 38, forced his way through a crowd at the Canfield Fair in northeastern Ohio on Sunday while Democratic candidate for governor Amy Acton was campaigning, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Havas knocked over multiple audience members as he moved toward Acton, who previously served as the state’s public health director. He was found to be carrying a taser and two pistols, though the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office stated that no weapons were ever removed from their holsters or brandished during the incident.
Havas was arrested and taken to county jail, where he was booked on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault. Law enforcement also recovered brass knuckles from the suspect. No additional details were available pending an investigation, and it remained unclear whether Havas had retained legal representation as of Sunday night. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine issued a statement condemning the incident, calling violence or threats of violence at political events unacceptable.
Acton is currently running against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in what has become one of the year’s most prominent gubernatorial races, with the November election approaching. Ramaswamy’s campaign released a statement through communications director Connie Luck expressing that the incident was completely unacceptable and emphasizing that candidates should be able to meet with voters without fear. Acton’s campaign characterized the suspect’s actions as a lunge, with her communications director saying the candidate remains committed to standing against chaos and division.
Senators and officials across the political spectrum condemned the incident. Republican Ohio Sen. Jon Husted posted on social media expressing disturbance at the attempted attack and gratitude for law enforcement’s response. The episode adds to a pattern of political violence in the country over the past decade, including prior assassination attempts on sitting and former political figures, as well as assaults on politicians’ family members.
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