An armed suspect attacked the campaign rally of Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton at the Canfield Fair on Sunday, injuring several volunteers, according to the Associated Press and Reuters. Campaign officials confirmed that Acton remained entirely unharmed during the security breach.
The incident occurred as Acton was addressing the crowd, during which the individual reportedly lunged toward her. Campaign spokesperson Addie Bullock issued a statement confirming the candidate`s safety immediately after she was escorted from the stage. Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman Chris Anderson identified the suspect as 38-year-old Patrick Havas. Anderson stated that Havas was arrested with multiple weapons in his possession after he knocked several campaign volunteers to the ground during the disruption.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol, the agency responsible for the arrest, reported that troopers stopped Havas and found him carrying two pistols and a Taser. Furthermore, Mahoning County police officers stated that they recovered two handguns and a set of brass knuckles following the incident. Local Sheriff Jerry Greene told the NBC-affiliated outlet 21 News that the suspect knocked down at least two older adults during the chaotic scene. Authorities have booked Havas at the county jail on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault, though they have withheld further details pending an ongoing investigation.
Following the incident, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine released a statement strongly condemning the attack. The Republican governor praised the rapid response of the local police deployed at the fairgrounds. DeWine is currently ineligible to run for re-election due to standard term limits. Meanwhile, Vivek Ramaswamy, Acton’s Republican opponent in the upcoming general election, denounced the violence in a campaign statement, calling it completely unacceptable. Ramaswamy has recently gained national attention by leveraging his tech industry alliances and support from former President Donald Trump to raise record-breaking campaign funds.
The Ohio gubernatorial race remains one of the most closely monitored contests as the United States approaches the midterm elections on November 3. Reflecting the growing political tension, federal political committees spent more than 40 million dollars on security during the 2023-2024 campaign cycle, according to the nonpartisan group Public Service Alliance. This attempted attack highlights a worsening trend of political violence across the country over the past decade. Recent high-profile incidents include the 2025 assassination of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, the 2022 assault on the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and two separate assassination attempts against Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.
