An armed man forced his way into the Mahoning County Democratic Party tent at the Canfield Fair on Sunday afternoon, lunged toward Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and knocked multiple people to the ground, local authorities and campaign and party officials said. The suspect, identified in jail and sheriff’s office records as 38-year-old Patrick Havas of Canfield, was arrested at the scene and booked on assault and disorderly-conduct charges while investigators continue to probe the incident.
- A 38-year-old Canfield man, Patrick Havas, was arrested after pushing into the Mahoning County Democratic Party tent at the Canfield Fair and lunging toward Amy Acton.
- Authorities recovered two handguns and brass knuckles; some reports also mention a stun weapon or Taser, and officials said no weapons were brandished.
- Two people were knocked to the ground and injured; Acton was unhurt and remained at the scene to assist attendees.
- Havas was booked on two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct; investigators are continuing their inquiry and will consult the county prosecutor.
What officials say happened
The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office reported that the confrontation occurred at about 2:30 p.m. as Acton was speaking to a crowd inside the Democratic tent. According to law-enforcement accounts included in local reporting, Havas entered the tent while recording on his cellphone and began pushing through attendees. Acton’s security detail — troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol — and other officers intervened and took Havas into custody.
Officials recovered two handguns and a set of brass knuckles, and some outlets also reported that a stun weapon or Taser was found. Authorities have told reporters they did not see any of those weapons brandished or removed from holsters during the encounter.
Local jail records and sheriff’s statements indicate Havas was booked on two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct. The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office said detectives are continuing the investigation and will consult with the county prosecutor before filing any additional charges.
Who was hurt and how authorities responded
Multiple people were injured when the suspect pushed through the crowd. Several accounts say two older adults fell to the ground; one witness described an apparent head injury sustained when someone struck a table. Acton was not physically injured, her campaign said. Campaign communications director Addie Bullock said in a statement that Acton and her husband were grateful for law enforcement’s response and were praying for those who were hurt. The campaign also said Acton remained at the fair to help attendees after the disturbance.
Mahoning County Democratic Party leaders described the episode as reprehensible and thanked the Ohio State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement for their quick action. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, according to party and local reports, also spoke with Acton and condemned the violence, saying he and his wife were thankful she was not hurt.
Charges, prior record and ongoing inquiry
Local reporting from jail and court records shows Havas faced two felony assault counts and one disorderly-conduct count following the arrest. Those accounts also note an earlier disorderly-conduct conviction in Mahoning County in 2008; other charges in that older case were dismissed, according to the record summaries shared with reporters.
The sheriff’s office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol are both involved in the ongoing investigation. Officials said they will determine next steps after consulting the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office. The patrol has been assigned to examine the security response to the incident, per law-enforcement statements in the local coverage.
Political reactions and campaign context
The incident drew condemnations across party lines in the immediate aftermath. A spokeswoman for Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign called political events a place where candidates should be able to meet voters without fear of threats or violence. The Mahoning County Democratic Party urged leaders from across the spectrum to denounce political violence.
The episode comes as Acton campaigns in a competitive Ohio gubernatorial race. Reporting notes she is the Democratic nominee running against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy; several sources also observed that Ramaswamy was present elsewhere at the Canfield Fair on Sunday and continued campaign activities after the altercation at the Democratic tent.
What remains unresolved
- Authorities have not publicly identified a motive for Havas’s behavior.
- Investigators have said the weapons recovered were not brandished, but the role and provenance of those items will be part of the on-going inquiry.
- Officials have not released an updated injury tally or medical condition for those hurt beyond early reporting that two people fell to the ground; some local reporters said one person may have struck their head.
Timeline
- About 2:30 p.m.: The suspect enters the Mahoning County Democratic Party tent at the Canfield Fair while Amy Acton is speaking, according to sheriff’s office accounts.
- Shortly after: The suspect allegedly pushes through the crowd; two people fall and sustain injuries during the scramble.
- Immediately after: Acton’s security detail and Canfield Fair police officers detain the man and take him into custody.
- Post-arrest: Officers recover two handguns and brass knuckles; some reports also mention a stun weapon or Taser. The suspect is booked on assault and disorderly-conduct charges. Investigations by Mahoning County detectives and the Ohio State Highway Patrol are ongoing.
Why this matters
The confrontation highlights concerns about safety at in-person political events in the run-up to high-profile state elections. Campaigns and law-enforcement agencies often coordinate security for candidates; officials in this case said troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol were part of Acton’s detail and intervened. The investigation will likely examine both the suspect’s intentions and the security posture that confronted him.
Sources and attribution
This article is based on local law-enforcement statements, Mahoning County jail and court records cited in regional reporting, and campaign and party statements reported by local and national outlets. Specific details about the suspect’s name, the weapons recovered, charges filed, and the timing of the incident were taken from those contemporaneous reports and public records cited by local newspapers and law-enforcement releases.
