Representative Lee Zeldin, the Republican nominee for governor of New York, was attacked Thursday during a campaign event in western New York by a man with a pointed object that dragged him to the ground before being subdued by several other men, according to officials and a video of the attack. Mr Zeldin was unharmed, a campaign representative said.
The video shows Mr. Zeldin, speaking from the back of a truck, addressing supporters gathered in a parking lot in Perinton, NY, when a man slowly approaches him from the right before attempting to kill Mr. Zeldin by the arm to pull down. Mr. Zeldin responds by grabbing the man’s wrist and is then joined by several men to restrain the attacker.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Zeldin said in a statement released after the attack that he and members of his campaign staff were safe.
“Much more needs to be done to make New York safe again,” said spokeswoman Katie Vincentz, placing the attack in the context of Mr. Zeldin. “This is getting very out of hand in this state. Sadly, Congresswoman Zeldin is just the latest New Yorker whose life has been impacted by crime spiraling out of control.”
This is a story in development.
