The man who tried to stab New York gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin at a Thursday night campaign event focused on reforming lax bail policies was released from custody “within hours of his arrest” in accordance with New York law.
The suspect, David G. Jakubonis, 43, of Fairport, N.Y., stormed a trailer stage at Zeldin’s campaign event in Perinton, New York, in an attempt to stab the Republican. Footage of the assault shows Zeldin grabbing Jakubonis’s wrist to stop the blade before members of Zeldin’s campaign staff quickly tackled and restrained the assailant onstage.
Jakubonis was arrested and charged with attempted assault in the second degree, but as Zeldin predicted, the attacker was quickly released from custody.
“His words as he tried to stab me a few hours ago were ‘you’re done’, but several attendees, including @EspositoforNY, quickly 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,” Zeldin tweeted.
Since joining the race for governor, Zeldin has repeatedly warned New Yorkers about “the failed pro-criminal policies of Kathy Hochul & 1-party Dem rule.” His concern about rising crime in the Empire State, however, has only earned him the wrath of Hochul, New York’s current governor.
For weeks, Hochul has smeared her opponent as a “far-right extremist” and anti-abortion fanatic who is “dangerous for New York.”
Hochul even mocked Zeldin’s campaign schedule and accused him of assisting an “insurrection.”
Following her incendiary language and verbal attacks on Zeldin in the past, Hochul condemned the attempted stabbing and claimed violence like that “has no place in New York.”
“My team has informed me about the incident at Lee Zeldin’s campaign event tonight. Relieved to hear that Congressman Zeldin was not injured and that the suspect is in custody. I condemn this violent behavior in the strongest terms possible — it has no place in New York,” Hochul tweeted.
Her tweet did not mention anything about the criminal nor his quick release.
