On Thursday, while Lee Zeldin gave a speech in his campaign for governor of New York, a guy reportedly climbed on stage and attempted to knife Zeldin. Let’s see who tried to attack Lee Zeldin?
Who tried to attack Lee Zeldin?
Zeldin was speaking outside a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Fairport, a town close to Rochester when the incident happened, but NBC News claimed that he was unharmed.
Before other people tackled the perpetrator, Zeldin claimed to have grabbed his wrist and temporarily stopped him.
After charging Zeldin, the attacker—named David Jakubonis of Fairport by three senior law enforcement officials—was subdued by spectators, according to WHEC-TV.
According to that NBC network, spectators disarmed the man and bound him with zip ties made from leftover campaign materials.
As per NBC News, the suspect may have had a bladed object of some kind.
.Zeldin is running for governor to unseat Democrat Kathy Hochul, who represents a district in Suffolk County, Long Island.
“Relieved to learn that Congressman Zeldin was not hurt and that the culprit is in custody,” Hochul remarked in a tweet.
In the strongest terms possible, Hochul wrote, “I condemn this aggressive behavior – it has no place in New York.”
After Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace over allegations of sexual harassment made by nearly a dozen women, Hochul took over as governor the next year.
Who was the suspect?
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as David Jakubonis, 43, of Fairport. The motive of the suspect was unclear.
Video footage published on social media by viewers showed a man wearing a black baseball cap quickly approaching Zeldin from the side of the stage at the rally in upstate New York.
Zeldin pushed the suspect away before both men slipped to the ground as several others tried to stop the suspect.
Jakubonis, who is accused of second-degree attempted assault, held a weapon in his hand and swung it in the direction of Zeldin’s neck, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
Jakubonis was detained by audience members and Zeldin’s campaign staff until deputies came and brought him into custody, the statement continued.
In Perinton Town Court, the suspect was charged and then freed on his recognizance.
LEE ZELDIN tweeted,
Thank you to everyone who reached out following tonight’s attack in Fairport. Someone tried to stab me on stage during this evening’s rally, but fortunately, I was able to grab his wrist and stop him for a few moments until others tackled him.
Who is Lee Zeldin?
Attorney, politician and officer in the United States Army Reserve Lee Michael Zeldin was born in the United States on January 30, 1980. He has served as the Republican representative for New York’s first congressional district in the US House of Representatives since 2015.
He covers the eastern two-thirds of Suffolk County, which includes most of Smithtown, all of Brookhaven, Riverhead, Southold, Southampton, East Hampton, and a tiny piece of Islip. He also represents all of Southampton.
Zeldin represented the 3rd Senate district in the New York State Senate from 2011 to 2014.
Zeldin supported Donald Trump wholeheartedly while he was president.
During the first impeachment hearings, he prominently defended Trump in relation to the Trump-Ukraine affair.
He voted against the certification of Arizona’s and Pennsylvania’s electoral votes after Trump lost the 2020 presidential election and falsely accused there being voter fraud. He declared his intention to run for governor of New York in 2022 in April of that year.
After winning the Republican gubernatorial primary over three rivals, he is the party’s and the Conservative Party’s nominee.
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Lavanya (Senior Editor) is a full-time content writer with almost 5 years of experience and a part-time teacher. She joined Medico Topics on the Breaking News trainee scheme in 2022 and now works on MedicoTopics.com. As a lifelong learner, She is constantly curious about learning new things and passionate about sharing knowledge with people through her writing and teaching.
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