An armed individual attacked Ohio Democrat gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton while she attended the Canfield Fair in Mahoning County, injuring multiple people, according to a statement from her campaign issued Sunday.
Acton’s campaign said the individual “lunged at Dr. Acton, injuring multiple people” during the incident. “Dr. Acton and Eric are grateful for the swift and decisive action of law enforcement and are praying for the recovery of those injured,” the statement said. “This kind of violence has no place in Ohio.”
Local station WOIO-TV reported that the person responsible for the attack was booked into the Mahoning County Jail on two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct. A witness told the station that the suspect, who had weapons, was arrested at the Mahoning County Democratic Party tent after knocking volunteers to the ground. Local media have not disclosed the severity of the injuries.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris responded to the attack in a post on X. “I am horrified by yesterday’s attack on Amy Acton in Ohio and grateful for the the actions of law enforcement and others who helped — including Dr. Acton herself, who stayed to help attend to the injured,” Harris wrote. “Political violence has no place in our nation. People must be safe to participate in our government and electoral process without fear of violence.”
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign also condemned the attack. “Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence,” said Connie Luck, Communications Director for Vivek for Ohio. “What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt.”
