Congressman Maxwell Frost was actually punched in the face while attending the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, according to a post from his official account, as reported by Fox 35 Orlando. This wasn’t just a random act of violence, either. It seems to have been politically motivated and deeply personal.
According to Frost’s account of the event, a man specifically approached him and delivered a chilling message before the assault began. The man told the Congressman that President Trump was going to deport him, and then, without warning, he punched Frost in the face. Frost also noted that the attacker was heard shouting racist remarks as he ran away from the incident.
What makes this incident even more disturbing is that the assailant apparently targeted another person nearby, showing a clear pattern of aggressive behavior. The official arrest affidavit details that the man approached a second victim, a woman, and started making strange conversation. When she decided to end the discussion, the man escalated the confrontation immediately. He grabbed her by the shoulders and told her she was also going to be deported.
Thankfully, the chaos was stopped thanks to quick action from a bystander
Authorities were able to quickly identify the suspect as 28-year-old Christian Young. The arrest affidavit corroborates Frost’s account, confirming that Young approached the Congressman and a friend while they were at a bar, used a slur against Frost, and then assaulted him. A man at the scene was able to detain Young until venue security was notified and could take over. Young was subsequently arrested and booked into the Summit County Jail in Utah.
Because of the nature of the attack, Young is facing some extremely serious charges. He faces counts of assault, aggravated burglary, and, significantly, assault of an elected official. It’s important that accountability is swift when someone targets an official or anyone else with such malice and hatred. However, with the increasing number of violent incidents across the country, tension seems to be at an all-time high, especially following deportation threats to specific groups.
Following the incident, Congressman Frost took a moment to thank those who helped ensure the situation didn’t escalate further. He publicly thanked the Park City Police Department and the venue security staff for their quick response.
Sundance also released a statement regarding the assault, making it clear they stand against any form of hate. “We strongly condemn last night’s assault and abhor any form of violence, harassment, and hate speech,” the statement read. While the organization was quick to clarify that the incident didn’t actually happen at an official Festival-affiliated event, they emphasized that “such behavior is intolerable and against our values of upholding a welcoming and inspiring environment for all our attendees.”
They also sent their thoughts to Congressman Frost, wishing him continued well-being.
Published: Jan 26, 2026 01:00 pm