Incident at Canfield Fair Involves Armed Individual Lunging at Ohio Gubernatorial Candidate Amy Acton

<p>An armed individual lunged at Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and injured multiple people on September 6, 2026, at the Canfield Fair, according to her campaign.</p><p>Addie Bullock, the communications director for Acton's campaign, stated, "While attending the Canfield Fair, an armed individual lunged at Dr. Acton, injuring multiple people."</p><p>Acton and her husband Eric expressed gratitude for the prompt actions of law enforcement and are praying for the recovery of those injured. Bullock added, "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."</p><p>Ohio Governor Mike DeWine confirmed that Acton was not harmed and mentioned that he and first lady Fran DeWine spoke with her following the incident. DeWine stated, "Fran and I are thankful Dr. Amy Acton was not hurt, and we send our thoughts to those who were injured. We spoke to Dr. Acton this afternoon and she said to share with Ohioans that she is ok."</p><p>DeWine described the incident, saying a man "tried to forcefully push himself toward Dr. Acton" while she was speaking, resulting in injuries to other attendees at the Mahoning County Democratic booth. He added, "We are grateful for the quick work of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and other law enforcement on the scene at the Canfield Fair today."</p><p>DeWine emphasized that "violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable" and noted that the case is now under investigation by law enforcement. Officials have not identified the man involved or confirmed whether he has been arrested. Acton’s campaign indicated he was armed, though DeWine did not mention a weapon. The conditions of those injured remain unclear.</p><p>The motive for the confrontation and whether any arrests were made is also unknown. The incident occurred as Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned that candidates and public figures continue to face threats as the campaign season intensifies. Mullin stated, "You’re never safe in the public eye," during an interview on Fox News.</p><p>Mullin remarked on the threats to elected officials, saying, "The threats to our elected officials, they don’t go away. We’ve got to bring down the temperature, but the temperature is not going to go down on itself." He emphasized the importance of accepting political disagreements while drawing a line at violence.</p><p>Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy and his running mate, Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, condemned the incident at the Canfield Fair. Ramaswamy's campaign communications director Connie Luck stated, "Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence. What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt."</p><p>Acton and Ramaswamy are competing in the upcoming gubernatorial election in November to replace term-limited Republican Governor Mike DeWine. Acton, a physician, gained prominence while serving as director of the Ohio Department of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic, appearing alongside DeWine during public briefings.</p><p>Her management of the pandemic has become a significant campaign issue, with Ramaswamy and other Republicans criticizing her for the restrictions imposed, while her campaign defends her actions as necessary for public health.</p><p>Fox News Digital has reached out to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office for further information.</p>