Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican nominee for the New York gubernatorial race, predicted early Friday morning that his attacker would benefit from New York’s criminal laws.
Just hours after the attack, Zeldin’s prediction came true.
What did Zeldin predict?
While Zeldin was speaking at a campaign event near Rochester, a man jumped on stage and attempted to stab the Republican lawmaker. The attacker allegedly told Zeldin, “You’re done.”
Fortunately, the man was subdued before he could harm Zeldin. The man was taken into custody by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
After the incident, Zeldin predicted his attacker would quickly be released from jail.
“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,” Zeldin said. “The attacker will likely be instantly released under NY’s laws.”
What happened with the attacker?
The attacker, whom police identified as 43-year-old David G. Jakubonis, was arraigned in court and released on his own recognizance just hours after the attack, police confirmed.
Jakubonis was charged with second-degree attempted assault, a felony.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement:
On July 21, 2022 at approximately 8:00 p.m., Representative Lee Zeldin was
on stage giving a campaign speech at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8495 at 300 Macedon Center Road,
in the Town of Perinton. A male from the crowd climbed up on the stage and approached Zeldin. 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.
According to the New York Times, the Empire State is the only state in the U.S. “without a so-called dangerousness standard.”
“In New York, bail is imposed solely to ensure that people return to court; judges are not supposed to set high bail for defendants who they think might be a public safety risk,” the newspaper explained.
Watch: Rep. Lee Zeldin Attacked By Man At New York Campaign Event
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