Zeldin attacker arrested, charged with assault, police say

A man climbed onto a stage, swung a weapon at the neck of Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin, and told him, “You’re done,” during a campaign rally at a VFW post in suburban Rochester Thursday night, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

Sheriff's office spokesman Deputy Brendan Hurley said the weapon, which was recovered at the scene, was a “my kitty self-defense keychain."

The Zeldin campaign said the man, identified as David G. Jakubonis, 43, of Fairport, tried to stab the congressman, who thwarted the attack by grabbing the man's wrist as aides and rally attendees wrestled the attacker to the ground.

The sheriff’s office said Jakubonis was arrested and charged with second-degree assault, an E class felony. A statement Friday from the sheriff’s office said Jakubonis was arraigned in Perinton Town Court and released on his own recognizance.

Jakubonis is due back in court on Aug. 30, according to the Perinton Town Clerk's Office. He was represented at arraignment by the Monroe County Public Defender's Office, which said he has since been represented by private counsel. 

Attempts to reach Jakubonis have been unsuccessful.

According to the sheriff’s office, Zeldin took the stage at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8495 on Macedon Center Road in the Town of Perinton about 8 p.m. Thursday and had started speaking when Jakubonis “climbed up on the stage and approached Zeldin.”

The statement said: “The male had a weapon in his hand, swung it towards Zeldin’s neck, and told him, ‘You’re done.’ Members of the audience and Rep. Zeldin’s campaign restrained the male until deputies arrived and took him into custody.”

There were no injuries, the sheriff’s office said.

The attack was recorded by an attendee and posted by Spectrum News. 

In a statement issued Thursday, Zeldin’s campaign said the man tried to stab the Long Island congressman, and Zeldin later tweeted about the incident.

"Thank you to everyone who reached out following tonight’s attack in Fairport. 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 tweeted, adding that he was uninjured and thanking "attendees who stepped up quickly to assist and the law enforcement officers who quickly responded."

Hitting on a campaign theme, he concluded: "I’m as resolute as ever to do my part to make NY safe again."

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, Zeldin’s opponent in the election, issued a statement, saying: “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.”