An armed man was arrested after charging toward the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, Amy Acton, on Sunday during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair, injuring several people, campaign officials said.
Acton was not injured, but campaign officials said multiple people were hurt.
The suspect, identified as Patrick Havas, 38, of Canfield, Ohio, “aggressively shoved his way through the crowd toward Acton while holding a cell phone up,” Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene told CBS News. While he was rushing forward, Havas allegedly knocked over two older people on mobility scooters, causing one of them to fall to the ground, Greene said.
Acton’s security detail was able to stop him and take him into custody until law enforcement could arrive, the sheriff said.
The man had two pistols and brass knuckles on him, according to Greene, all of which are legal to carry in Ohio.
Havas is being held at Mahoning County Jail and facing two counts of misdemeanor assault and one count of disorderly conduct, according to Greene.
Wayne Penny Jr., a Democratic candidate for Ohio’s 59th State House District, told CBS News that hecklers had gathered at the Democratic Party’s tent when one of them “bum-rushed through the crowd” in Acton’s direction.
“He literally bull-rushed through the crowd, knocked our volunteers down, ran through, pushed and knocked the elderly gentleman over with Parkinson’s, and the gentleman hit his head and fell,” Penny said.
Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman Chris Anderson said in a statement the man also knocked several volunteers to the ground.
Acton was “grateful for the swift and decisive action of law enforcement and are praying for the recovery of those injured. 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,” said Addie Bullock, communications director for the campaign.
Acton is facing Republican Vivek 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.
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Ramaswamy called the incident on Sunday unacceptable.
“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,” Ramaswamy’s communications director, Connie Luck, said in a statement Sunday.
“Fran and I are thankful Dr. Amy Acton was not hurt, and we send our thoughts to those who were injured,” Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said in a statement. “We spoke to Dr. Acton this afternoon and she said to share with Ohioans that she is ok.”
“Violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable,” he added.
