Armed Extremist Arrested After Violent Attack on Progressive Ohio Candidate Amy Acton at Fair
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A 38-year-old man, armed and emboldened by a culture of right-wing violence, was detained after he lunged at Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton at the Canfield Fair, injuring vulnerable volunteers and bystanders.
On Sunday, the persistent threat of right-wing violence reared its head again as an armed man was arrested after charging toward Democratic Ohio governor candidate Amy Acton during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair in Mahoning County. The suspect, 38-year-old Patrick Havas of Canfield, forced his way through a crowd, wielding a cell phone as a weapon, and in his reckless aggression, knocked two elderly individuals on mobility scooters to the ground and assaulted several campaign volunteers, according to Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene. Thankfully, Acton was unharmed, thanks to her vigilant security team, who subdued the attacker until police arrived.
Police recovered two pistols and a pair of brass knuckles from Havas—dangerous weapons that are all too easily acquired in Ohio due to lax gun laws. Havas is currently being held at the Mahoning County jail, facing two misdemeanor assault charges and one count of disorderly conduct, charges that seem insufficient given the gravity of his actions.
Democratic State House candidate Wayne Penny Jr. described the incident as a “bull-rush” that resulted in a volunteer with Parkinson’s disease being knocked to the ground and suffering a head injury. Mahoning County Democratic Party chair Chris Anderson reported that additional volunteers were also harmed in the chaos.
Addie Bullock, Acton's campaign communications director, expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their rapid response and voiced deep concern for those injured, emphasizing that violence—fueled by toxic political rhetoric—has no place in Ohio. Even Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s communications director, Connie Luck, was forced to acknowledge the episode as “completely unacceptable.” Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued a statement confirming Acton was unharmed and condemned any threat of violence at public events, though such statements ring hollow without real action to address the root causes of political violence.