An armed man lunged at Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, during a public event Sunday, injuring several people, officials said.
Acton and her husband were not hurt in the incident, which unfolded while she was attending a fair in Canfield, in northeastern Ohio, according to a statement from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
‘Fran and I are thankful Dr. Amy Acton was not hurt, and we send our thoughts to those who were injured. We spoke to Dr. Acton this afternoon and she said to share with Ohioans that she is ok,’ DeWine said.
Authorities arrested 38-year-old Patrick Havas, of Canfield, in connection with the confrontation. He was charged with felony assault and disorderly conduct, The Vindicator reported.
During the attack, Havas allegedly knocked campaign volunteers to the ground before he was detained.
Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene told WFMJ that Havas had two firearms on him and appeared to be holding either a phone or a camera when he lunged at Acton at about 2:45 p.m.
Acton’s security team worked with local police to take Havas into custody. He was later transported to the Mahoning County Jail.
DeWine said law enforcement is now leading the investigation into the incident.
An armed man lunged at Democrat candidate for governor of Ohio Amy Acton (pictured) and her husband, injuring multiple people
Patrick Havas (pictured), 38, of Canfield, was arrested in connection with the incident and charged with felony assault and disorderly conduct
The candidate is running against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to try and flip the Ohio state governor’s office.
Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman Christopher Anderson said Acton was at the county party’s tent at the fair when the man lunged at her. He added that the suspect has been arrested.
‘Let me be clear – The Mahoning County Democratic Party abhors political violence in all forms,’ Anderson wrote on Facebook.
‘What happened at our tent today during today’s visit from Dr. Acton is reprehensible and should be condemned by leaders on all sides of the aisle.’
DeWine described the incident as involving a man who ‘tried to forcefully push himself toward Dr. Acton as she was speaking.’
Acton and her husband Eric thanked first responders in a statement from her campaign.
‘Dr. Acton and Eric are grateful for the swift and decisive action of law enforcement and are praying for the recovery of those injured,’ Communications Director Addie Bullock said.
‘This kind of violence has no place in Ohio. Dr. Acton will always stand up to the chaos, hate and vitriol that pits us against one another.’
Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman Christopher Anderson said Acton was at the county party’s tent at the fair when the man lunged at her. He added that the suspect has been arrested
Acton and her husband were left uninjured after an ‘armed individual lunged’ at her while attending a fair in Canfield in the southern part of the state, her campaign said
The candidate is running against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy (pictured) to try and flip the Ohio state governor’s office
The Ramaswamy campaign – who had been scheduled to attend the fair as well on Sunday – condemned the attack when reached by Our News Outlet on Sunday.
‘Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence,’ said Connie Luck, Ramaswamy’s communications director.
‘What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt.’
Our News Outlet has reached out to the Canfield Police Department, Ohio State Troopers and the Acton campaign for further details.
Acton is the former health director for the state of Ohio under Republican Governor DeWine in 2019 and 2020 and led the state’s COVID response.
Her high public profile and robust early fundraising have made Democrats hopeful of winning back the governor’s office for the first time since 2006.
Acton became a household name across Ohio in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic as she stood alongside Mike DeWine during daily coronavirus broadcasts.
Her comforting presence during the crisis made her a beloved figure with many Ohioans.
Her campaign also has highlighted her rough childhood, overcoming poverty, homelessness and sexual abuse while growing up in Youngstown.
But the administration’s aggressive pandemic actions — including shuttering businesses, closing schools and canceling an election — also earned Acton plenty of enemies and made her the occasional target of people upset about the policies, with some armed protesters showing up outside her home.
Ramaswamy, who has parlayed his national name recognition, tech industry connections and alliance with President Donald Trump into a record fundraising haul that he is tapping for advertising spots aimed at the November election.
He is using campaign rallies and advertising to criticize Acton, the state´s former public health director.
Ohio has not elected a Democratic governor since 2006.
This is a developing story.
