Man accused of pushing toward Amy Acton had 2 handguns. Here’s what Ohio law says

MetroMan accused of pushing toward Amy Acton had two handguns. Here’s what Ohio law says about guns at county fairsAmy Acton, the 2026 Democratic nominee for governor, speaks at a press conference in her hometown of Bexley, Ohio on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026.Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland.comBy Michael Johnson, cleveland.comcleveland.com Express DeskCLEVELAND, Ohio — Patrick Havas had two handguns on him when authorities say he pushed through a crowd toward Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton at the Canfield Fair on Sept. 6.But simply having the guns at the fair was not automatically against Ohio law.Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene told CBS News that the two pistols Havas was carrying were legal to carry in Ohio. Authorities have said Havas never drew or brandished the weapons.Ohio law helps explain how someone can legally be armed on the outdoor grounds of a county fair.A state law governing local firearm restrictions generally prevents political subdivisions from imposing their own rules on possessing or carrying firearms beyond those provided by state or federal law. The law applies to firearms carried openly or concealed.In July 2025, then-Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued a formal opinion dealing specifically with county agricultural societies and firearms.The opinion came after the Champaign County Agricultural Society imposed rules limiting open and concealed carry on its fairgrounds. Champaign County Prosecutor Kevin Talebi asked whether the society was a political subdivision under the state’s firearm-preemption law.Yost concluded that a county agricultural society organized under Chapter 1711 of the Ohio Revised Code is a political subdivision for purposes of that law.That conclusion is relevant in Canfield because the organization that runs the fair falls into that category.An Ohio Auditor of State report identifies the Mahoning County Agricultural Society as a county agricultural society formed under Chapter 1711. The Canfield Fair says it is operated by the society.The attorney general opinion is not a court ruling. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office says formal opinions are official statements of the attorney general’s views on legal questions. They aren’t binding on courts, although courts usually give them careful consideration.Ohio also allows qualifying adults to carry concealed handguns without getting a concealed-carry license. Under Ohio law, a qualifying adult must be at least 21, not legally prohibited from possessing a firearm and meet additional eligibility requirements. Such a person generally may carry a concealed handgun anywhere a licensed carrier could, subject to the same restrictions.There are limits.Yost’s 2025 opinion addressed firearms on county-fair premises outside buildings. Ohio law separately restricts concealed handguns in certain locations, including police stations, courthouses and many government buildings. It also permits private people or organizations leasing government-owned property to prohibit firearms in the space they control.State law also prohibits carrying or using a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and state and federal laws prohibit some people from possessing firearms.So Ohio law does not mean anyone can carry a gun anywhere at a county fair. What Yost’s opinion says is that a Chapter 1711 county agricultural society generally cannot create its own firearm restrictions beyond state and federal law.That provides legal context for the handguns found on Havas without establishing that every circumstance in which a person carries a gun at a fair would be lawful.As cleveland.com reported in the original article, authorities say Havas pushed through the crowd while recording Acton on his phone before her Ohio State Highway Patrol security detail stopped him.A Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office report obtained by cleveland.com says Havas knocked two elderly people to the ground as he approached Acton. Both suffered minor injuries and were not taken to a hospital. Acton was unharmed. The Sheriff’s Office heavily redacted its police report on the incident and has refused to release body camera footage. Havas pleaded not guilty Tuesday to all charges. He faces two counts of assault, one count of inducing panic and one count of disorderly conduct. All but the disorderly-conduct charge are first-degree misdemeanors.A judge set Havas’ bond at $5,000 and ordered him not to possess a gun while the case is pending, according to cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer news partner WKYC. He remained in the Mahoning County Jail as of Tuesday.Michael Johnson brings nearly four decades of newspaper experience in reporting, editing, newsroom leadership, page design and digital publishing. He has led daily and weekly newsrooms in Pennsylvania,...