Armed Man Charged Toward Ohio Governor Candidate at Fair
An armed man charged toward Democratic Ohio gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair on Sunday, injuring several attendees before being subdued by security, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Acton was not injured in the incident.
The Incident
Patrick M. Havas, 38, of Canfield, forced his way through a crowd at the Mahoning County Democratic Party tent around 2:30 p.m., knocking over multiple attendees as he moved toward Acton, the state’s former public health director, the highway patrol said in a statement. Witnesses reported that at least two older adults were knocked to the ground, including one man described as being in his 80s.
Havas was carrying two pistols, a Taser, and a set of brass knuckles at the time of his arrest, according to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said no weapons were ever brandished or removed from their holsters.
Acton’s security detail, comprised of Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, confronted Havas before Canfield Fair police officers took him into custody. He was booked at the Mahoning County Jail on two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct, with no bond set.
Former U.S. Rep. John Boccieri, a Democratic candidate for the Ohio House who witnessed the incident, described the scene as appearing “very coordinated.” He told the Akron Beacon Journal that he saw “a large individual come in and start knocking people around.”
“We live in very divided times, but none of our disagreements should lead to this type of violence,” Boccieri said. “I call on Vivek Ramaswamy to speak out against this violence. His rhetoric is fanning this sort of division.”
Response and Condemnation
After Havas was detained, Acton remained at the scene to help injured attendees, witnesses 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,” said Addie Bullock, communications director for the Acton campaign, as reported by the Columbus Dispatch. “This kind of violence has no place in Ohio.”
Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, condemned the attack, saying, “Violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable.” He confirmed that he had spoken with Acton, who told him to share with Ohioans that she is OK.
Ramaswamy’s campaign also issued a statement through communications director Connie Luck: “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.”
Ohio Sen. Jon Husted called the incident “disturbed by the attempted attack on Amy Acton today at the Canfield Fair,” while former Sen. Sherrod Brown thanked law enforcement for their “quick and professional response.” Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said the “attempted violence directed at Dr. Acton is unacceptable,” adding that “political violence of any kind has no place in Ohio or our nation,” according to Cleveland 19.
Suspect Background
Havas graduated from Stow-Munroe Falls High School in 2006 and attended Youngstown University, though it is unclear whether he earned a degree, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. His Facebook profile also indicates he attended the Columbiana County Career and Technical Center. His only prior conviction in Mahoning County was a 2008 disorderly conduct charge stemming from an incident in which he was accused of stealing three videos from a Canfield Giant Eagle.
Court records also show Havas previously shared an address with Andrew Havas, a Republican political volunteer who resigned from Sen. Jon Husted’s campaign in July after NBC News reported he had served jail time for sexual misconduct with a minor. Acton had been publicly criticizing Ramaswamy over more than $10,000 his campaign accepted from Andrew Havas.
Political Context
The incident comes as the Ohio gubernatorial race between Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has become one of the most closely watched contests in the 2026 midterm elections, with campaigns entering the final six weeks before the November 3 election. Ramaswamy has leveraged his national name recognition, tech industry connections, and alliance with President Donald Trump into a record fundraising haul, according to the AP News.
Ramaswamy was also at the Canfield Fair on Sunday and was campaigning after the altercation involving Acton, according to The Vindicator.
The attempted attack is the latest in a series of political violence incidents that have raised security concerns across the country. Federal political committees spent more than $40 million on expenses labeled as security during the 2023-24 campaign cycle, according to a report from the Public Service Alliance, a nonpartisan group.
What’s Next
Havas was expected to appear in Mahoning County Court in Canfield on Tuesday, September 8, as the court was closed for Labor Day. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is handling the investigation, with detectives from the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office continuing their work.
Meanwhile, Acton attended the 11th Congressional District Labor Day parade in Cleveland on Monday, where she provided medical assistance to two individuals experiencing medical emergencies during the parade, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. Speaking at the parade, Acton said, “I’m a doctor. I’m not a politician. This is my first run…but I am a lifelong public servant whose been fighting my entire career to make life better in Ohio.”
As the investigation unfolds, the incident has reignited broader conversations about the safety of political candidates and the rising tide of political violence in American public life.