WASHINGTON — An armed attacker lunged at Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee for governor of Ohio, during a campaign event at the Canfield Fair on Sunday, injuring several individuals, according to campaign officials.
The suspect knocked volunteers to the ground before being apprehended with multiple weapons, said Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman Chris Anderson. While Acton was not harmed, campaign spokeswoman Addie Bullock confirmed that multiple people sustained injuries.
“We are grateful for the swift and decisive action of law enforcement and are praying for the recovery of those injured,” Bullock said in a statement. “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.”
The incident occurred as Acton prepares to face Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in November’s election. Ramaswamy has leveraged his national visibility, technology industry ties, and support from President Donald Trump to secure a significant fundraising advantage, which he is using to run advertising and rally campaigns critical of Acton, the state’s former public health director.
Ramaswamy condemned the attack in a statement issued Sunday. “Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence,” his communications director, Connie Luck, said. “What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt.”
Local law enforcement agencies, including the fairground police and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, did not immediately return requests for comment. The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department directed inquiries to state authorities.
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