An armed man plowed through a crowd toward Ohio’s Democratic nominee for governor at a county fair on Sunday, knocking several people to the ground before law enforcement took him into custody.
The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Patrick Havas, is expected to face two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct following the incident at the Canfield Fair, according to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office. Two older adults were knocked down when Havas pushed his way toward the front of a crowd gathered near a Mahoning County Democratic Party tent around 2:45 p.m., where former state health director Amy Acton was making an appearance.
Deputies later recovered two handguns and a set of brass knuckles from Havas, though authorities said none of the weapons were drawn or displayed during the confrontation. Acton’s security detail, staffed by Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, intervened and stopped Havas before Canfield Fair Police made the arrest and transported him to the Mahoning County Jail.
Acton was not injured. Her campaign’s communications director said in a statement that an armed individual lunged at Acton and injured multiple people, adding that this kind of violence has no place in Ohio.
Acton’s Republican opponent’s campaign also condemned the incident. A spokesperson for the Vivek Ramaswamy and Rob McColley ticket said candidates should be able to meet with voters without fear of threats or violence, calling the episode unacceptable and expressing hope no one was seriously hurt.
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, whose seat both candidates are seeking to fill, said he had personally spoken with Acton and confirmed she was unharmed, thanking the Ohio State Highway Patrol and other law enforcement for their quick response.
Ramaswamy, who has raised record sums for the race, faces Acton in an election roughly six weeks away. Sheriff’s investigators are continuing to probe the incident, while the Highway Patrol reviews whether it constituted a targeted threat.
