Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and her husband were present at a campaign event in Canfield, Ohio, on Sunday when an armed individual lunged at the group, injuring multiple people, according to her campaign.
Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman Christopher Anderson stated that the incident occurred at the county party's tent during Acton's visit. The attacker reportedly knocked volunteers to the ground before being taken into custody. Anderson condemned the act, calling it "reprehensible" and stating that political violence has no place in Ohio.
Acton and her husband, Eric, were unharmed, her campaign confirmed. Communications Director Addie Bullock thanked first responders and said Acton is "grateful for the swift and decisive action of law enforcement." Bullock added, "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."
The campaign of Acton's opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, condemned the attack. "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."
Acton, the former director of the Ohio Department of Health, gained prominence for leading the state's COVID-19 response under Republican Governor Mike DeWine. Her public profile and fundraising have made Democrats hopeful of winning back the governor's office, which has been held by Republicans since 2006. However, her administration's pandemic-related policies also drew criticism and led to protests, with some armed individuals previously demonstrating outside her home.
The Canfield Police Department and Ohio State Troopers are involved in the investigation.