The congressman survived a serious injury: the Republican candidate for governor of New York was attacked by a man who apparently tried to stab him at an event in the north of the state | The governor of New York condemned the event
Lee Zeldin, a Republican running for governor of New York, was nearly stabbed last Thursday by a man who attacked him at a campaign rally. “I’m fine,” Zeldin said in a statement. “Fortunately, I was able to grab his wrist and stop him for a few moments until others stopped him.”
Zeldin’s campaign officials said the attacker was taken into custody and the congressman continued his speech. Zeldin is running against incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul this November.
His words as he tried to stab me a few hours ago were “you’re done”, but several attendees, including @EspositoforNYquickly jumped into action & tackled the guy.
Law enforcement was on the scene within minutes.
The attacker will likely be instantly released under NY’s laws. pic.twitter.com/wZEyIyrjFe
— Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) July 22, 2022
The attacker went up to a low stage where the candidate was speaking in front of an audience of hundreds of people with American flags at his side. A video posted on Twitter shows the two falling to the ground as other people try to intervene. Among those who helped subdue the attacker was former NYPD Deputy Superintendent Alison Esposito.
In a statement on behalf of the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, it was said that she condemned the attack and said that she was “relieved to hear that Congressman Lee Zeldin was not injured and that the suspect is in custody.” But after a few hours, it was reported that the man who jumped on stage and tried to attack the Republican candidate for governor of New York with a spike, had already been released from custody on Friday morning.
Zeldin, a former Army officer who has represented eastern Long Island in Congress since 2015, is a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump and was among the Republicans in Congress who voted against certifying the 2020 election results.
Authorities say Lee Zeldin was attacked by 48-year-old David Jacobonis in the incident.