An armed man lunged at Ohio’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Dr. Amy Acton, at the annual Canfield Fair on Sunday, injuring two people in the ensuing chaos before he was apprehended by authorities. The suspect, identified as Patrick Havas, 38, disrupted a campaign event at the Mahoning County Democratic Party tent.
According to campaign officials and local law enforcement, Havas pushed his way to the front of the tent, knocking multiple volunteers to the ground. Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene stated that Havas, who was carrying two firearms and brass knuckles, pushed down two older adults during the incident. Members of Acton's security detail, comprised of Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, detained Havas before he could access his weapons. Canfield Fair Police then took him into custody.
Acton, a physician running against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, was not injured. She remained at the scene to assist one of the injured individuals. A spokesperson for Acton's campaign condemned the violence, stating, "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 Chair Chris Anderson also denounced the incident, calling it "reprehensible and should be condemned by leaders on all sides of the aisle." He expressed gratitude for the swift response of law enforcement and the security provided to Acton.
Havas has been charged with two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct, according to inmate records. An investigation into the incident is ongoing. A representative for Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign issued a statement saying, "Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence. What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt."