CANFIELD — UPDATE @ 11:08 P.M.
A man is in custody after allegedly lunging toward Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton at a campaign event in Ohio on Sunday.
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The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office told our sister station, WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh, that Dr. Acton was speaking with a crowd at the Mahoning County Democratic Party tent at the Canfield Fairgrounds.
A man identified as 38-year-old Patrick Havas entered the tent around 2:30 p.m. He used his cell phone to record her visit.
The sheriff’s office told WPXI that Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) troopers confronted Havas after he pushed his way through the crowd.
Two people were knocked to the ground while that was happening.
Officers arrested Havas. They found two handguns and a set of brass knuckles with him, WPXI said.
Investigators stated that no weapons were shown.
The sheriff’s office is investigating and plans to file charges after consulting with county prosecutors, WPXI said.
OSHP is investigating any potential threats.
-INITIAL STORY-
Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton was attacked at a campaign event in Ohio on Sunday.
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An armed assailant lunged at Acton on Sunday during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair, injuring several people, campaign officials told the Associated Press.
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“While attending the Canfield Fair, an armed individual lunged at Dr. Acton, injuring multiple people,” said Addie Bullock, campaign spokesperson.
The campaign said that Dr. Acton and her husband were not injured.
The full statement is below.
“While attending the Canfield Fair, an armed individual lunged at Dr. Acton, injuring multiple people. Dr. Acton and Eric are 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.”
- Addie Bullock, Communications Director for the Acton campaign
The Vivek Ramaswamy campaign released the following statement after what happened at the Canfield Fair on Sunday.
“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.”
- Connie Luck, Communications Director for Vivek for Ohio
It is currently unknown what led to the incident or what the extent of the injuries are.
News Center 7 will continue to update this developing story.
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