Armed assailant attacks Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate during campaign stop

An armed man lunged at Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton as she spoke at the Canfield Fair on Sunday, knocking volunteers and two older adults to the ground before police stopped him.

Acton was unharmed, her campaign spokesperson Addie Bullock said. The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Patrick Havas, was arrested with multiple weapons, according to officials. The Ohio State Highway Patrol said he had two pistols and a Taser. Mahoning County officers also recovered two handguns and brass knuckles.

Havas was booked on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault at the county jail. The highway patrol said further details were unavailable while the investigation continued. Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene told local NBC outlet 21 News that two older adults were knocked down during the incident.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine condemned the attack and said police at the fair quickly responded at the Mahoning County Democratic booth. Acton’s Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, called the attack “completely unacceptable” in a campaign statement.

The confrontation occurred as campaigns enter the final six weeks before the November 3 election. The Ohio governor’s race is among the most closely watched contests in this year’s midterm elections. The incident also adds to a wider pattern of political violence in the United States, including the 2022 assault on the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and two assassination attempts against Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.

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completely unacceptable