A 38-year-old Ohio man was arrested Sunday after authorities said he forced his way through a crowd at a fair where Amy Acton, Ohio’s Democratic nominee for governor, was delivering remarks.
Police identified the man as Patrick Havas. According to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, he allegedly knocked two people to the ground before officers took him into custody.
A sheriff’s office spokesperson said Sunday that deputies recovered two handguns and a set of brass knuckles after the arrest. Investigators said the weapons were never displayed or taken out of their holsters.
In a later statement, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Havas was booked into the Mahoning County Jail on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault.
Acton was not injured, the OSHP said. Troopers assigned to her protective unit were with her when the incident occurred.
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"Violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable," DeWine said in a statement on social media Sunday, adding that he and his wife spoke with Acton and "she said to share with Ohioans that she is ok."
"This case is now in the hands of law enforcement and will be investigated thoroughly," DeWine said.'
Acton previously served under DeWine when he appointed her as director of the Ohio Department of Health in 2019.
She is now running for governor in the November general election against Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy, whose campaign also issued a statement Sunday.
"Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence," Ramaswamy's communications director Connie Luck said in a statement. "What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt."
Ramaswamy was also scheduled to appear at the Canfield Fair Sunday afternoon. His campaign did not immediately respond to questions from ABC News about whether the event took place.