The man who allegedly stormed toward Ohio Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton at a recent fair will not face felony charges, the county prosecutor leading the case told reporters Tuesday.
The only video investigators currently have of the incident was recorded by the suspect, Patrick Havas, leaving authorities with little video evidence, Mahoning County Prosecutor Lynn Maro said.
“The information we’ve received is that the Acton camp requested individuals stop recording shortly before this incident occurred,” Maro told reporters on Tuesday.
“So, at this point, the only video we have is the defendant’s. And what’s that showing certainly doesn’t support filing felony charges.”
PISTOL-PACKING MAN KNOCKS OVER FAIRGOERS FORCING HIS WAY TOWARD OHIO GOVERNOR CANDIDATE AMY ACTON, POLICE SAY
Patrick Havas was intercepted by Ohio Highway Patrol officers after allegedly knocking over multiple fairgoers as he ran toward Acton at a tent at the Canfield Fair while armed with a Taser and two firearms.
He was initially booked on two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct, all misdemeanors. An inducing panic charge was added Tuesday at his arraignment, bringing the total to four misdemeanor counts. Havas pleaded not guilty.
Campaigns have often prohibited or advised against filming candidates to prevent “trackers,” or opposition research individuals with cameras, from filming the interactions to look for a politically weak spot to focus on. Then-candidate Bernie Moreno employed audio-jamming technology in 2024, with his campaign acknowledging such to Business Insider. The campaign told the outlet the jammer was only used against trackers and not voters.
When asked by an NPR reporter about online conjecture that the Acton team “overblew” the incident, DeWine reportedly replied the idea is “total garbage.
“No one overblew it. Facts are facts. These are not good situations, and they’re anti-democratic,” DeWine said, according to the report.
Maro said the tape showed Havas “walking into the tent” where Acton was, and “calling out her name” before executive protection unit officers from Ohio Highway Patrol interrupted him.
“Then, his phone is either dropped or tossed, and that’s all we have,” Maro said.
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“There’s never any close contact with the governor, never gets near her — sorry, ‘candidate for governor’,” she added.
Fox News Digital reached out to Maro for comment and to obtain a copy of the video in question. An official who picked up the phone at her office said Maro was out but would be checking messages.
A reporter for the NBC affiliate tweeted that their network had also attempted to obtain the video but that officials said they would not be releasing it as part of their “active investigation.”
Fox News Digital also reached out to the Acton campaign for additional comment, as well as details around the reported request that people stop filming Acton just before the encounter.
“While attending the Canfield Fair, an armed individual lunged at Dr. Acton, injuring multiple people. Dr. Acton and Eric are grateful for the swift and decisive action of law enforcement and are praying for the recovery of those injured,” Acton campaign communications director Addie Bullock said in a separate 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.”
An Ohio judge ordered Havas to not speak to the press, according to Youngstown’s NBC affiliate, and Havas has been placed under a $5,000 bond and forced to surrender any weaponry in his possession.
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Havas is a local to that region of Ohio. He was arrested in 2008 on petty theft and disorderly conduct charges, according to Newsweek. The theft charge was later dismissed after he pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct. He was accused of stealing several movies from a supermarket, including the James Bond film “Casino Royale.”
Acton faces Republican entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy in November, as Gov. Mike DeWine is term-limited. DeWine’s lieutenant, former Ohio State Football coach Jim Tressel, declined to run for the office.
Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
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