A serious incident of political violence has marked the US election campaign. A gunman attempted to attack Amy Acton, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Ohio. The attack took place on Sunday afternoon during the traditional Canfield Fair in Mahoning County, world agencies report.
According to law enforcement information released by NBC News (nbcnews.com), 38-year-old attacker Patrick Havas broke into the Democratic Party tent while Acton was giving a speech to voters. The man was taking pictures with his cellphone and began to force his way through the crowd to reach the politician. In the aggressive attack, he knocked several volunteers and senior citizens to the ground, two of whom suffered minor injuries.
State Highway Patrol officers and Acton Security responded immediately, knocking the attacker to the ground before he could reach his target. Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Green confirmed to Reuters (reuters.com) that two handguns, a Taser and a boxing glove were found on Havas after he was arrested. The weapons were not removed from their holsters during the confrontation. The attacker was taken to the local jail and charged with two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct.
Political leaders across the U.S. have strongly condemned the attack. Ohio's current Republican governor, Mike DeWine, said on social media that threats and violence at public events are "absolutely unacceptable." Acton's opponent in the upcoming race, billionaire Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, also condemned the incident through his campaign, calling it "completely unacceptable."
The Ohio gubernatorial election is entering its final six weeks before the November vote and is shaping up to be one of the most contested in the country. Amy Acton, a physician and former director of the state's health department, was not injured and thanked law enforcement for the swift response.