Lee Zeldin, the Republican candidate for governor of New York, was attacked during a campaign stop near Rochester in upstate Monroe County on Thursday night, but escaped unharmed and finished his speech.
According to witnesses and video of the incident, Zeldin, a sitting US congressman from Long Island, was campaigning at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Perinton when a man jumped on stage and lunged toward the lawmaker with an unknown weapon.
“I saw him approaching the congressman, so I jumped up on stage,” witness Joe Chenelly told The Washington Post.
“The congressman shifted his gaze to him. I assumed he was there to hug the congressman or, you know, heckle him or something along those lines.”
Chenelly tackled the suspect to the ground after he flashed the weapon and appeared to be wrestling with Zeldin.
“He reached into his right pocket, pulled out what appeared to be a knife or razor blade, possibly a box cutter, and lunged at the Congressman,” Chenelly said.
When Zeldin attempted to block the suspect, who witnesses said was dishevelled and possibly intoxicated, the man lunged again.
Chenelly explained, “I tackled him from behind, wrapped him up, and dropped him on the right side of the stage.”
A number of witnesses, including Republican candidate for lieutenant governor Alison Esposito, detained the suspect.
Chenelly credited Esposito, a 20-year NYPD veteran, with grabbing the suspect’s weapon.
Zeldin returned to the stage shortly after the incident and finished his speech. Late Thursday night, the congressman texted The Washington Post that he was “OK” and that the ordeal had been “crazy.”
“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,” Zeldin said in a separate tweet.
According to WROC-TV, the suspect, who has not been identified by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, is an Iraq War veteran.
Zeldin, who defeated three other Republicans in a primary last month to win the Republican nomination for governor, will face Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul in November.