Alleged attacker of Rep. Lee Zeldin held in custody following federal court hearing
By Mark Morales, CNN
The man accused of attempting to stab New York gubernatorial nominee Rep. Lee Zeldin on stage at a campaign event will not yet be released from custody, a judge determined on Thursday, according to a Department of Justice spokesperson.
David Jakubonis, 43, appeared before Magistrate Judge Marian Payson in the Western District of New York on Thursday for a bail hearing but the judge decided they needed more information, according to a statement from Department of Justice spokesperson Barbara Burns.
Payson asked to review videos of Jakubonis’ interview with law enforcement after his arrest as well as video of the incident, Burns said in the statement.
Zeldin was delivering a speech in Fairport, New York, on July 21, when a man climbed on stage “and attempted to stab” Zeldin, a statement from the campaign said.
The GOP lawmaker “grabbed the attacker’s wrist to stop him until several others assisted in taking the attacker down to the ground,” according to the statement.
The congressman returned to the stage to finish his remarks after the alleged perpetrator was taken into custody, Zeldin’s campaign said.
Jakubonis was initially released on his own recognizance shortly following an initial state level arrest but has since been charged federally with assaulting a member of Congress with a dangerous weapon, Burns previously said.
Jakubonis had approached the congressman, extended a keychain with two sharp points toward him and grabbed his arm, according to a statement from the US Attorney for Western New York Trini E. Ross on Saturday. He is scheduled to be back in court for a status conference on August 24.
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