US news | The Guardian
· collected 2026-09-06 · by Diana Ramirez-Simon and agencies
Patrick Havas lunged at Democratic candidate for Ohio governor Amy Acton on Sunday during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair, injuring several people and knocking down two older adults before being arrested. Sheriff Jerry Greene said Havas is expected to be charged with assault and disorderly conduct. Multiple people were injured in the incident, but Acton was not hurt. The attack has been condemned by both Acton's campaign and her Republican opponent Vivek Ramaswamy.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, was attacked by an armed individual, later identified as Patrick Havas, 38, at a campaign event on Sunday near Youngstown, Ohio. The incident occurred at the Canfield Fair, where Acton was speaking to a crowd in a tent when Havas approached her with a phone or camera set up. He allegedly knocked down two older adults and several campaign volunteers before being stopped by law enforcement. According to reports, Havas had two pistols and brass knuckles on him, but did not draw them. Acton was not injured, but multiple people were hurt. Havas has been arrested and charged with felony assault and disorderly conduct. The incident is being investigated by the Ohio State Police and local authorities.
Written for “Armed Man Attacks Governor Candidate” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 11 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but every quote it verified points left, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 6157: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-09-07
Amy Acton, Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, was the target of an attack on Sunday during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair, campaign officials said.
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officials → say → Fair
Several people were injured when the armed assailant lunged at Acton.
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assailant → injure → Acton
The suspect knocked volunteers to the ground before he was arrested and was “discovered to have weapons”, Mahoning county Democratic party chairperson Chris Anderson said in a statement.
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Anderson → knock → statement
Sheriff Jerry Greene told a local NBC outlet, 21 News, that the suspect, Patrick Havas, knocked down two older adults during the incident.
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suspect → tell → incident
Havas is expected to be charged with assault and disorderly conduct, Greene told 21 News.
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Greene → expect → News
Acton was not injured, but campaign officials said multiple people were hurt.
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people → injure → ?
She is “grateful for the swift and decisive action of law enforcement and are praying for the recovery of those injured.
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She → pray → those
This kind of violence has no place in Ohio.
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kind → have → Ohio
Dr Acton will always stand up to the chaos, hate and vitriol that pits us against one another,” said Addie Bullock, communications director for the campaign.
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Bullock → stand → campaign
A photo shared to social media by a fair attendee after the incident showed Acton checking on one of those injured in the incident.
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Acton → share → incident
“What happened at our tent today during today’s visit from Dr Acton is reprehensible and should be condemned by leaders on all sides of the aisle,” Anderson said.
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Anderson → happen → aisle
Acton is facing Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, who has parlayed his national name recognition, tech industry connections and alliance with Donald Trump into a record fundraising haul that he is tapping for advertising spots aimed at the November election.
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he → face → election
He is using campaign rallies and advertising to criticize Acton, the state’s former public health director.
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He → use → Acton
Ramaswamy called the incident Sunday unacceptable.
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Ramaswamy → call → incident
“Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence.
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Candidates → meet → threats
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 on Sunday.
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director → happen → Sunday
Abdul El-Sayad, Michigan’s Democratic US Senate candidate, also denounced the attack.
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Sayad → denounce → attack
“There’s no place for political violence in America,” El-Sayad said in a social media post.
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Sayad → ’ → post
“Our prayers go out to Dr. Acton and her team, and we hope that this moment is yet another wake up call regarding how important it is to make sure that democracy is a process by which we address our political differences peacefully.”
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we → go → differences
The fairground’s police department referred inquiries to the Mahoning county sheriff’s department, which didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.
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which → refer → comment
The Ohio state highway patrol didn’t immediately respond to a request for information.
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patrol → respond → information
