Who Is Patrick Havas? Man Accused of Attacking Ohio Governor Candidate Amy Acton
Patrick Havas was arrested after authorities said he pushed through a crowd toward Democratic Ohio governor candidate Amy Acton at the Canfield Fair, knocking two people to the ground. Acton was not injured, and Havas was booked on two assault counts and a disorderly conduct charge.
The incident happened Sunday, Sept. 6, at the Mahoning County Democratic Party tent at the Canfield Fair in Canfield, Ohio, as Acton was speaking to attendees. The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office said Havas entered the tent while recording on his cellphone and pushed through the crowd toward Acton. Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers assigned to Acton’s security detail intervened before he reached her.
Patrick Havas’ Background and Arrest Details
Havas, 38, is from Canfield, Ohio, according to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office. He was booked into the Mahoning County Jail on Sept. 6 and remains in pretrial custody, according to the jail’s public inmate record. The record lists two assault offenses and one disorderly conduct offense.
Public information about Havas remains limited as the investigation continues. Local court records reported by the Valley-based Vindicator show a 2008 disorderly conduct conviction after an arrest that also involved a petty theft allegation. The petty theft charge was dismissed, according to the report.
How Havas Allegedly Approached Amy Acton
The incident occurred at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday while Acton was visiting the Democratic Party tent during the fair. According to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, Havas entered the tent and began moving through the crowd while using his cellphone to record Acton.
The sheriff said that when Havas moved forward, two people were knocked down. His security personnel, who consisted of Ohio State Highway Patrol officers, confronted him, and as a result, he was taken into custody.
The authorities stated that two handguns and brass knuckles were taken from Havas as a result of the incident. They also said that the weapons were not displayed or employed during the altercation.
The initial description of the incident from Acton’s campaign characterized the encounter as an armed individual lunging at the candidate. According to the sheriff’s account, Havas pushed through the crowd towards Acton. The two descriptions should be treated as separate ones since they differ in their account of what took place.
Acton Campaign Condemns Violence at Fair
Addie Bullock, communications director for Acton’s campaign, said in a statement, “While attending the Canfield Fair, 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. This kind of violence has no place in Ohio. Dr Acton will always stand up to the chaos, hate and vitriol that pits us against one another.”
Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign also condemned the incident. Connie Luck, his communications director, said, “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.”
Ohio’s governor, Mike DeWine, stated that Acton had not been injured and denounced the violence that took place at political and public events. He added that law enforcement would investigate the case.
Havas Faces Assault and Disorderly Conduct Charges
The investigation is ongoing, and Havas remains in Mahoning County custody. The county jail record did not show any bond set for the two assault charges, and the disorderly conduct charge is listed as own-recognizance custody.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol and local authorities are investigating the incident. Officials have not publicly announced a motive, and the available records do not establish that Havas’ actions were politically motivated.
The incident comes as Acton and Ramaswamy campaign for the November Ohio gubernatorial election, adding a security concern to an already closely watched political contest. The central facts remain that Havas was arrested after pushing through a crowd toward Acton, two attendees were knocked down, weapons were recovered, and Acton was not injured.
