Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican candidate in New York’s gubernatorial race, was attacked Thursday evening while giving a campaign speech, officials and authorities said.
The incident happened at around 8 p.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in the town of Perinton, located just outside of Rochester, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office for Monroe County.
Video of the incident published by NBC News shows a man in a hat and sunglasses with an object in his right hand approach Zeldin who was speaking outdoors upon a stage. As the man is heard repeatedly saying “you’re done,” he raises his right hand, which Zeldin grabs at the wrist before others join the struggle and they fall to the ground.
The sheriff’s office confirmed that it was a weapon in the suspect’s hand and that he “swung it towards Zeldin’s neck.”
“Members of the audience and Rep. Zeldin’s campaign restrained the male until deputies arrived and took him into custody,” it said. “There were no injuries.”
Video of @leezeldin’s attempted attack at a campaign rally in Monroe County earlier tonight.
Courtesy of Cody Crippen pic.twitter.com/1mTgUXIHVJ
— Kate Lisa (@KaitlynnLisa) July 22, 2022
The suspect has been identified as 43-year-old David Jakubonis of Fairport. He has been charged with second-degree attempted assault and was arraigned in Perinton Town Court and was released.
Related Story: Alleged Lee Zeldin attempted attacker charged with felony, immediately released just as congressman predicted
Zeldin said he was “ok” and and that he avoided injury by being able to “grab onto his wrist in time when he lunged for my neck.”
He said the attack was thwarted by his running mate, Alison Esposito, and members of his campaign staff.
“Political scores should be settled at the ballot box, not on stage at campaign events trying to violently attack candidates you disagree with,” he said. “This is not ok. This is the United States of America.”
“I’m as resolute as ever to do my part to make NY safe again.”
Very unusual advisory from @KathyHochul ⬇️ just now, basically making fun of @leezeldin by mocking his campaign schedule this weekend and replacing his events with Democratic talking points about Trump.
Usually the targeted attacks come from @nydems and @JayJacobs28 pic.twitter.com/1SaOrbaOX4
— Zack Fink (@ZackFinkNews) July 21, 2022
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement that she had been informed about the incident and was “relieved” that Zeldin was not injured and that the suspect was in policy custody.
“I condemn this violent behavior in the strongest terms possible — it has no place in New York,” she said.
Zeldin announced his candidacy in April of 2021, and won his party’s nomination late last month.
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Lee Zeldin predicted he would be released shortly after the incident and he WAS! If it had been a Democrat candidate the perp would be in confinement like the Jan 6 arrestees who may or may not have committed a crime since they haven’t been charged after all this time.
So true. ONE Rule of law for US, another entirely for the demented Commucrats.
This is the new world bull **** being peddled by the demonrats…….tick tock until it happens to one of their own and the MSM will call it the end of the world!! There’s not enough money in the world to EVER make me want to again visit let alone live in States like New York where it seems like everyone has lost their proverbial minds!!
“The sheriff’s office confirmed that it was a weapon in the suspect’s hand and that he “swung it towards Zeldin’s neck.”
“He has been charged with second-degree attempted assault…”
What is wrong with those two statements? For one thing the act was at least Assault With A Deadly Weapon, if not attempted murder. It was not an attempted assault, it was an assault period. The fact that his victim held him off and bystanders took him down, does not change the fact that with a weapon in hand made physical contact with his intended victim. I will be so happy if we manage to return to law and order and Constitutional rule.