Witnesses say U.S. Rep. Lee Seldin was assaulted on stage at a New York campaign event

A man attacked U.S. Rep. Lee Seldin at a campaign event near Rochester, New York, Thursday evening, according to authorities and witnesses.

Seldin, a Republican running for governor of New York, was not injured in the incident at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Perrinton.

Mike Cialini, commander of VFW Post 8495, said in a phone interview that between 7:30 and 8 p.m. a man climbed onto the stage with some type of sharp instrument.

Video recording of the event Rochester’s NBC affiliate WHEC The man approaches Seldin and shows Seldin grabbing his wrist and repeating, “You’re done,” before the others intervene and everyone falls.

The man appears to be holding an object with two points. It was not immediately clear what it was.

After Geldin He tweeted that “Someone tried to stab me on the stage during this evening’s rally, but luckily, I was able to hold him off for a few moments until others tackled him,” he wrote in part, thanking everyone who reached out.

The man was subdued and restrained with zip ties before police arrived, handcuffed him and took him into custody, Cialini said.

“There was no motive, nothing. Once he was subdued, he made noises. They were just weird noises,” said Cialini, who witnessed the incident.

Zeldin spokeswoman Katie Vincents said Zeldin and other members of the campaign are safe with Alison Esposito, who is running for lieutenant governor. Zeldin concluded his remarks by thanking law enforcement.

New York GOP Chairman Nick Longworthy said Seldin was “the target of a violent attack at a campaign rally stop in Monroe County,” and he praised the actions of bystanders who subdued the man.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said she was relieved Seldin was unhurt and the suspect was in custody.

“I strongly condemn this violent behavior – it has no place in New York,” he tweeted.

Seldin, from Suffolk County, Long Island, was a state senator and was elected to Congress in 2014.

He Won the Republican primary He defeated three opponents, including Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, for governor of New York in June. Seldin will face Hochul in the November gubernatorial election.

Thursday’s campaign event was hosted by VFW Post 8495, Cialini said, but the organization is apolitical.

Berinton is south-east of Rochester.