It was gathered that the man was released later the same day on $5,000 bail.
A Nevada man carrying a shotgun, a loaded handgun, ammunition, and several fake passports in his vehicle was arrested at a security checkpoint outside Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday night in the Southern California desert, authorities said.
It was gathered that the man was released later the same day on $5,000 bail.
The suspect, a 49-year-old Las Vegas resident, was driving an unregistered black SUV with a "homemade" license plate when he was stopped by deputies assigned to the rally in Coachella, east of Los Angeles, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said at a news conference on Sunday afternoon.
However, the driver claimed to be a journalist, but it was unclear if he had proper credentials.
Deputies observed that the interior of the vehicle was "in disarray," and a search uncovered the weapons, ammunition, along with multiple passports and driver's licenses under different names, Bianco added.
AP reports that the man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine, according to a statement from authorities.
The incident, which took place at a rally for former President Trump, did not affect the safety of Trump or attendees, as Trump had not yet arrived at the event, the sheriff clarified on Sunday.
The suspect is set to appear in court on January 2, 2025, based on online records. Sheriff Bianco refrained from speculating on the suspect’s motives, stating, "We know we prevented something bad from happening, and it didn’t matter what that bad was going to be."
The man bypassed an outer security perimeter but was stopped at an inner checkpoint managed by the sheriff's department.
A second checkpoint, closer to the rally, was under the control of the Secret Service.
In a statement on Sunday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed, “The U.S. Secret Service assesses that the incident did not impact protective operations, and former President Trump was not in any danger. No federal arrest has been made yet, and the investigation is ongoing.”
Security at the rally was heightened, with media and VIP attendees passing through several security checks, while general ticket holders were transported by bus from a separate location. Vehicles were thoroughly inspected, including searches by K-9 officers.
Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign has yet to comment on the arrest. Security has been especially tight at Trump rallies following two recent assassination attempts.
Last month, a man was indicted for attempted assassination after allegedly staking out Trump for 12 hours. Two months prior, Trump was shot and wounded in the ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.