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By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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Authorities have identified the suspect who they say charged at Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair on Sunday.
Patrick Havas, 38, knocked over multiple members of the audience as he forced his way through a crowd toward Acton, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said in a statement. He had a Taser and two pistols, the state highway patrol said.
Havas is being held at the Mahoning County Jail. He was booked on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault.
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Acton is facing Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in November's election to succeed term-limited Republican Governor Mike DeWine. The race is among the nation's most closely watched gubernatorial contests.
Newsweek has contacted Acton's campaign, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Mahoning County Sheriff's Office for further comment via emails sent outside regular business hours.
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The incident occurred in the Mahoning County Democratic Party tent at one of Ohio's largest annual fairs. Havas, of Canfield, Ohio, entered the tent and began "pushing his way through the crowd" while using his cellphone to record, the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement posted on social media.
Current voter records reviewed by Newsweek show Havas is not registered with a political party, though he voted in a GOP primary in 2016.
Havas' voter registration was updated on November 7, 2023, according to the Mahoning County voter records that Newsweek reviewed. The records show he voted in general elections in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2024.
Havas is a licensed nurse, according to records reviewed by Newsweek.
He was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and petty theft in 2008, but the theft charge was dismissed after he pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct, according to court records reviewed by Newsweek. Havas was accused in that case of stealing three movies—The Untouchables, Full Metal Jacket and Casino Royale—from a Giant Eagle supermarket. He was handed a 30 day jail sentence that was suspended.
Havas was also fined for traffic offenses in 2008 and 2011.
What Happened at Canfield Fair?
Acton's security detail, which was made up of troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, were able to confront the suspect and he was taken into custody, the sheriff’s office said.
Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene told CBS News that as Havas rushed forward, he allegedly knocked into two older people on mobility scooters who fell to the ground.
Havas had two handguns and a set of brass knuckles on him, but no weapons were brandished or even removed from their holsters during the incident, the sheriff’s office said.
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The sheriff’s office said it will continue investigating the incident and "will be filing charges after consulting with the County Prosecutor."
The state patrol will investigate any potential threat assessment, the sheriff’s office added.
Addie Bullock, communications director for Acton’s campaign, said in a statement that "an armed individual lunged at Dr. Acton, injuring multiple people.
"Dr. Acton and Eric are grateful for the swift and decisive action of law enforcement and are praying for the recovery of those injured."
Bullock added that Acton "will always stand up to the chaos, hate and vitriol that pits us against one another."
Republicans Condemn Incident
Acton's gubernatorial opponent Ramaswamy condemned the incident as "completely unacceptable."
"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, and we hope that no one was hurt," Ramaswamy’s communications director, Connie Luck, said in a statement provided to Newsweek.
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Incumbent Ohio governor DeWine said in a statement posted on X that a man had "tried to forcefully push himself" toward Acton as she was speaking at the fair.
"Violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable," he said. "This case is now in the hands of law enforcement and will be investigated thoroughly."
Ohio Republican Senator Jon Husted also condemned the incident, writing on X that he and his wife were "disturbed by the attempted attack on Amy Acton today at the Canfield Fair."
Husted added: "We are grateful for law enforcement’s quick response. There is no place for this kind of behavior, and it must never be tolerated."
The Mahoning County Republican Party wrote on Facebook: "We are disappointed that Dr. Amy Acton’s visit to the Canfield Fair was disrupted today.
"We condemn politically-motivated violence in any form and are grateful for the law enforcement officers present who quickly restored order after the incident."
Correction 9/8/2026, 6:39 a.m. ET: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described Patrick Havas as a registered Republican. Current Mahoning County voter records list no party affiliation; he voted in a Republican primary in 2016
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes, Matthew Cannon, John Fitzpatrick and Tony Phillips.
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