CANFIELD, Ohio — A day after an armed man was arrested during Amy Acton’s appearance at the Canfield Fair, law enforcement accounts and public records establish the basic facts of what happened — even as false and unsupported claims circulate online questioning the incident.
The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol have both described Patrick Havas, 38, forcing or pushing his way through a crowd toward Acton before troopers assigned to protect the Democratic gubernatorial nominee stopped him. Multiple people were knocked over. Havas was arrested. Authorities say he was carrying two pistols and other weapons.
The firearms were not drawn. Acton was not injured. And investigators have not publicly established Havas’ motive or said what he intended to do if he reached Acton.
Those qualifications are part of the law-enforcement record. So is the physical confrontation.
Nevertheless, national political figures have begun casting doubt on the incident, while at least one demonstrably false claim about Havas being released from jail has circulated widely online. State Rep. Gary Click, a Republican representing Seneca and Sandusky counties, joined the speculation Monday, writing on Facebook that “something about this story doesn’t seem to be adding up.”
Click did not cite evidence contradicting the accounts provided by either law-enforcement agency.
According to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office account...
CANFIELD, Ohio — A day after an armed man was arrested during Amy Acton’s appearance at the Canfield Fair, law enforcement accounts and public records establish the basic facts of what happened — ...