USA · updated 5h ago · 3 min read
Patrick Havas Arrested After Forcing Way Through Crowd Toward Amy Acton at Canfield Fair
Patrick Havas, 38, of Canfield, arrested after forcing his way toward Acton at Canfield Fair. Several people injured; Acton was not injured.
What weapons were found on the suspect.
10 of 12 outlets skipped it: canfield Fair allows firearms except inside marked buildings.
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Detroit Free Press
“law enforcement found two pistols and a Taser in his possession”Read the original ↗
Some outlets omit the Taser while others include it.
Fair Attack in Canfield
An armed man, identified as Patrick Havas, 38, of Canfield, Ohio, was arrested after he forced his way through a crowd at the Canfield Fair while Amy Acton was speaking at the Mahoning County Democratic Party’s tent, injuring several people, according to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office and Acton’s campaign.
“aggressively shoved his way through the crowd toward Acton while holding a cell phone up”
CBS News reported that Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene said Havas "aggressively shoved his way through the crowd toward Acton while holding a cell phone up," knocking over two older people on mobility scooters and causing one to fall to the ground.
ABC News said the alleged incident occurred around 60 miles outside of Cleveland, near Acton’s hometown of Youngstown, and that Acton was not harmed, with her protective unit present as part of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.A
NBC News reported that Acton remained on-site to attend to one of the injured people after the Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers confronted Havas and two people were knocked to the ground.
After his arrest, law enforcement recovered two handguns and a set of brass knuckles, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Havas was booked at the Mahoning County Jail on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault, according to ABC News and CBS News.A
Condemnations and Statements
Acton campaign communications director Addie Bullock said, "Dr. Acton and Eric are grateful for the swift and decisive action of law enforcement and are praying for the recovery of those injured," while also adding, "This kind of violence has no place in Ohio."
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement that the alleged incident occurred when a "man tried to forcefully push himself toward Dr. Acton as she was speaking and injured other attendees at the Mahoning County Democrat booth," and he said the case would be investigated thoroughly.
Ramaswamy’s communications director Connie Luck condemned the incident, saying, "Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence," and that the event was "completely unacceptable and has no place in politics."
Wayne Penny Jr., a Democratic candidate for Ohio's 59th State House District, told CBS News that hecklers gathered at the Democratic Party's tent when one of them "bum-rushed through the crowd" in Acton's direction.
The Mahoning County Democratic Party chairman Chris Anderson said on Facebook that the man was arrested "after knocking volunteers to the ground," and he said the incident was "reprehensible" and should be condemned by leaders on all sides of the aisle, according to the Detroit Free Press.D
Charges and Political Fallout
Havas was taken to the Mahoning County Jail and booked on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office as described by ABC News and CBS News.A
“on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault”
CBS News said Havas was facing two counts of misdemeanor assault and one count of disorderly conduct, and it reported that the sheriff said the man had two pistols and brass knuckles, while investigators said no weapons were ever brandished or even removed from their holsters.
NBC News reported that the Ohio State Highway Patrol said officials also found that Havas had a Taser, and that Havas was booked "on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault," while the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office said they were conducting an investigation into what led up to the incident.
The incident occurred during Acton’s campaign stop at the Canfield Fair, and Acton was running against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to replace Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, according to ABC News and NBC News.A
In the days after the arrest, DeWine said, "Violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable," and Ramaswamy’s campaign spokesperson Connie Luck echoed that the incident was "completely unacceptable and has no place in politics," as both campaigns moved forward with the November general election.