Armed Man Charges Ohio Governor Hopeful Amy Acton at Packed County Fair
A registered Republican carrying two pistols, a Taser and brass knuckles bulldozed through the crowd at the Canfield Fair to reach Democratic nominee Amy Acton, knocking down bystanders — including two elderly fairgoers on mobility scooters — before troopers took him down.
Democratic candidate for Ohio governor Amy Acton was left shaken but unharmed Sunday after an armed man forced his way through a crowd at the Canfield Fair near Youngstown, knocking over multiple bystanders in an apparent attempt to reach her, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The suspect, identified by authorities as 38-year-old Patrick Havas of Canfield, was recording himself on his cellphone as he shoved through the crowd, according to records reviewed by Newsweek. He was carrying two handguns, a Taser and a set of brass knuckles, the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office said, though no weapon was ever drawn or removed from a holster. Two elderly attendees on mobility scooters were among those knocked down before Highway Patrol troopers restrained him.
Havas, a registered Republican and licensed nurse, was booked into the Mahoning County Jail on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault, ABC News reported. Acton, a physician who led Ohio's public health department during the COVID-19 pandemic, was not injured and reportedly stayed on scene afterward to help attend to an injured fairgoer.
A race already running hot
The incident lands squarely in the middle of Ohio's marquee November matchup, with Acton facing Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine. Both campaigns condemned the attack. DeWine said "violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable," while a spokesperson for Ramaswamy called the incident "completely unacceptable" and said it "has no place in politics."
"Violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable." — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine
The Canfield Fair, one of the largest county fairs in the country, draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every Labor Day week and has long been a mandatory campaign-trail stop for Ohio politicians. Sunday's chaos adds Acton to a growing list of candidates and officeholders confronting threats and physical confrontations on the trail this cycle, a trend both parties have decried publicly even as they trade blame over its causes.
Investigators have not publicly detailed a motive, and the Highway Patrol says its investigation is ongoing. Havas remained held at the Mahoning County Jail as of Sunday night. It is unclear when he is expected to be arraigned.