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Man with taser attacks Amy Acton at fair

9/8/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Patrick Havas lunged at Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton at the Canfield Fair.
Havas, 38, carried a taser and two pistols while forcing his way through the crowd.
He knocked over several fairgoers, including an 80-year-old man.
Acton and her husband Eric escaped unharmed while several attendees sustained minor injuries.
Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene booked Havas on two assault counts and one disorderly-conduct count.

History

Historical Context

On September 5, 1975, 26-year-old Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme pointed a Colt .45 M1911 at President Gerald Ford in Sacramento; the gun lacked a chambered round and Secret Service agent Larry Buendorf seized it. The Ohio fair assault on candidate Amy Acton by Patrick Havas, who brandished a taser and two pistols, mirrors that historic lapse and has spurred proposals for stricter gun checks and venue vetting.

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Story summary

Patrick Havas lunged at Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton at the Canfield Fair.
Havas, 38, carried a taser and two pistols while forcing his way through the crowd.
He knocked over several fairgoers, including an 80-year-old man.
Acton and her husband Eric escaped unharmed while several attendees sustained minor injuries.
Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene booked Havas on two assault counts and one disorderly-conduct count.

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