Video Shows Patrick Havas Pushing Into Amy Acton’s Tent, Not Brandishing a Weapon
A video of the incident involving Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton is raising a basic question: What actually happened inside the campaign tent at the Canfield Fair?
Last Sunday, reports said multiple people were injured after an armed man lunged at Acton during a campaign event near Youngstown. Acton’s campaign described the incident this way:
“While attending the Canfield Fair, an armed individual lunged at Dr. Acton, injuring multiple people,” Acton’s campaign said.
Patrick Havas, 38, was arrested and charged with two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct.
The language surrounding the event quickly became more dramatic. Outlets the source characterizes as left-leaning, including Cincinnati News, called the incident an ‘assassination attempt.’
But the footage tells a different story, according to the report. Havas appears to have pushed his way into the tent and knocked over a couple of people as he tried to take a photo with Acton. The video does not show him brandishing a weapon.
WATCH: The video is courtesy of Mike Ray, a Youngstown City Councilmember.
The distinction matters. Describing someone as an armed individual who lunged at a candidate creates the impression of a direct attack. The video account presented here shows a man forcing his way into a crowded campaign tent, but it does not show the weapon display suggested by the initial description.
Mahoning County Prosecutor Lynn Maro offered another detail in court this week. According to the report, Maro told the court that Havas apparently entered the tent because he wanted to ask Acton questions.
That account does not erase the allegations against Havas or the charges filed against him. It does, however, add important context to a story that was quickly framed in the most alarming terms. The Gateway Pundit flagged the mismatch immediately.
Acton later referred to the incident while speaking at a campaign event in Cleveland earlier this week.
“Yes, we had a rough day yesterday,” Amy Acton said at a campaign event in Cleveland earlier this week.
“I’m so thankful to our first responders and our state highway patrol and everyone who helped out the people who were injured and our prayers are with them,” she said.
Those remarks focused on the reported injuries, first responders, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. But they do not resolve the central dispute over how the encounter unfolded or whether Havas displayed a weapon.
The source account presents several descriptions of the same event: the campaign called it an armed lunging incident, Cincinnati News called it an assassination attempt, and the footage reportedly shows Havas pushing into the tent and knocking people over while never brandishing a weapon. Those descriptions are not interchangeable, and the video is the clearest reason to question the strongest version of the story.