Thursday’s campaign swing through the Rochester, New York, area was anything but ordinary for Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin, the GOP candidate for governor in the Empire State.
While he was speaking, Zeldin was confronted on stage by David Jakubonis, 43, who was carrying a double-pointed, knife-like weapon. Zeldin grabbed his attacker and stopped any assault as bystanders then rushed in to help.
But the excitement didn’t stop there.
After the attack in the Rochester suburb of Perinton, Zeldin was speaking to the media when he abruptly stopped speaking as a woman collapsed.
Video from Fox News is below:
Zeldin was among those who led the way to the woman as bystanders sought to give her some water on the hot July day.
A campaign sign made a handy fan as bystanders surrounded the woman. It was not known if she required hospitalization.
A woman passes out and a car alarm goes off in the middle of New York GOP gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin’s press conference on the attempted attack at his rally yesterday. pic.twitter.com/aRiNhqzNra
— The Recount (@therecount) July 22, 2022
Jacob Murphy, a spokesman for Zeldin’s congressional office, said Zeldin suffered a minor scrape in the incident, according to The Associated Press.
Jakubonis, who was free without bail almost immediately after his Thursday arrest, was arrested again on Saturday on a federal charge of assaulting a member of Congress with a dangerous weapon.
Caught On Cam: 43-year-old David Jakubonis has been charged with attempted assault in the second degree. US Rep. Lee Zeldin’s campaign says Jakubonis “attempted to stab” the congressman. Jakubonis was arraigned and released on his own recognizance: https://t.co/S4jOn8NTYL pic.twitter.com/mgM6EtqeSd
— HLN (@HLNTV) July 22, 2022
Jakubonis is being held in jail until his next hearing, which is scheduled for Wednesday.
According to ABC News, Jakubonis told investigators he had been drinking on Thursday before the attack.
Video of David Jakubonis as he was taken away by FBI from the Federal Courthouse in Rochester. Jakubonis was arrested Thursday night after attacking Congressman Lee Zeldin during his campaign appearance in Perinton. pic.twitter.com/iwfAivmo45
— Patrick Moussignac (@WHEC_Moussignac) July 23, 2022
He said he did not know who Zeldin was, or even that Zeldin was a politician, ABC reported.
He said that he went on the stage to ask the speaker whether he was disrespecting veterans.
Jakubonis said he served in the Iraq war as a member of the U.S. Army.
