Daijiworld Media Network - Canfield
Canfield, Sep 7: An armed man was arrested after allegedly pushing his way through a crowd toward Democratic Ohio gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair on Sunday, injuring several people in the process.
Acton, a physician and former Ohio health director, was not injured in the incident and remained at the fair to help one of the injured people. The suspect was identified as 38-year-old Patrick Havas of Canfield. He was arrested by law enforcement officers and booked into the Mahoning County Jail.
The incident occurred around 2:30 pm at the Mahoning County Democratic Party's tent, where Acton was speaking to supporters. According to the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office, Havas entered the tent with a cellphone apparently set up to record the event and began pushing his way through the crowd toward Acton. Acton's security detail, consisting of Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, intervened, during which two people were knocked to the ground.
Investigators said Havas was carrying two handguns, a Taser and brass knuckles. None of the weapons were drawn or brandished during the incident, according to authorities. He was subsequently taken into custody and faces charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault. The Ohio State Highway Patrol and Mahoning County Sheriff's Office are investigating the circumstances leading up to the confrontation, and a motive has not been established.
Acton's campaign spokesperson Addie Bullock said Acton and her husband, Eric, were grateful for the swift response from law enforcement and were praying for those injured.
"This kind of violence has no place in Ohio," Bullock said, adding that Acton would continue to stand against the hostility and division surrounding political discourse.
The incident drew condemnation from both Democrats and Republicans. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, who is running against Acton in the November election to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine, said candidates should be able to meet voters without having to worry about threats or violence. Ramaswamy's campaign described the incident as unacceptable and expressed hope that those injured would recover.
DeWine also condemned the incident and said he and his wife had spoken with Acton. He said violence or the threat of violence at political or public events was unacceptable and that the matter should be thoroughly investigated by law enforcement.
Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who previously served as lieutenant governor alongside DeWine, also condemned what he described as an attempted attack and praised law enforcement for its quick response.
Mahoning County Democratic Party Chair Christopher Anderson, whose organisation hosted Acton at the fair, said the incident was reprehensible and should be condemned by political leaders across party lines. He also thanked local law enforcement and the Ohio State Highway Patrol for protecting Acton.
Acton, who served as Ohio's health director under DeWine during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, is challenging Republican nominee Ramaswamy in what is expected to be a closely watched gubernatorial contest. Ramaswamy had also been scheduled to visit the Canfield Fair on Sunday.
The incident comes amid heightened concerns over political violence in the United States. Authorities have not indicated that Havas actually attempted to use any of the weapons recovered from him, and the investigation into what prompted his actions remains ongoing.