Armed man arrested after rushing toward Ohio governor candidate Amy Acton at Canfield Fair

A man carrying weapons forced his way through a crowd toward Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair on Sunday, injuring several people before state troopers stopped him, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.

The patrol identified the suspect as Patrick Havas, 38. According to its statement, he pushed past members of the audience, knocking several of them over, as he moved toward Acton, the state's former public health director. The patrol said he had a taser and two pistols.

The Mahoning County Sheriff's Office said two handguns and a set of brass knuckles were recovered after the arrest. It added that "no weapons were ever brandished or even removed from their holsters."

Havas was taken to the county jail and booked on a charge of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault. The patrol said no further details were available while the investigation continues. Online court records did not yet list the case as of Sunday night, and it was unclear whether he has an attorney.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement that the man "tried to forcefully push himself" toward Acton as she spoke at the fair in Canfield, in northeastern Ohio. "Violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable," he said.

Addie Bullock, communications director for Acton's campaign, said the suspect "lunged" at the candidate. She said Acton "will always stand up to the chaos, hate and vitriol that pits us against one another."

Acton's Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, also condemned the incident. His communications director, Connie Luck, said candidates should be able to meet voters without worrying about threats or violence, calling what happened "completely unacceptable." Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted wrote on X that he and his wife were disturbed by the attempted attack, and thanked law enforcement for its quick response.

The episode adds to a series of political violence in the United States over the past decade. Examples cited include the 2017 shooting at a Republican congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, the 2022 hammer attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband, the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, and another attempt on the president at this year's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in April. Last year, a Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband were assassinated, as was conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in Utah. A report released in April by the nonpartisan Public Service Alliance found that federal political committees spent more than $40 million on expenses labeled as security during the 2023-24 cycle.

The governor's race is among the most closely watched this year, with the campaigns entering the final six weeks before the November election. Ramaswamy has used his national profile, tech industry ties and alliance with Trump to build a record fundraising haul, which he is spending on advertising and rallies critical of Acton.

DeWine recruited Acton in 2019 to lead the Ohio Department of Health while she was an associate professor of public health at Ohio State University. She became a prominent public figure as the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, appearing at the governor's daily news conferences. She received several honors for her service, but her role in the administration's aggressive response also made her many opponents, including Statehouse Republicans and Ohioans who objected to pandemic restrictions.