Washington: A man in illegal possession of a shotgun and a loaded handgun was arrested at an intersection near former US President Donald Trump’s rally in Coachella, California, the police said as per media reports.
The 49-year-old suspect, Vem Miller, was driving a black SUV when he was stopped at a security checkpoint by deputies, who located the two firearms and a “high-capacity magazine,” BBC reported.
The US Secret Service said Trump “was not in any danger,” adding that the incident did not impact protective operations.
Miller was then taken into custody “without incident”, the Riverside County Sheriff’s office said, and booked on possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine.
A local sheriff called the suspect a “lunatic” and his office added the encounter did not affect the safety of Trump or the rally’s attendees.
While Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said it was impossible to speculate about what was in the mind of the suspect, he said he “truly believed” that his officers had prevented a third assassination attempt.
He added that it might be impossible to prove that this was the man’s intent, BBC reported.
A federal law enforcement official told CBS News that there was no indication of an assassination attempt connected to this incident.
Federal authorities say they are still investigating the incident, and it would be up to them to pursue any additional charges.
Bianco is an elected official and a Republican who has previously expressed support for Trump. He is also acting as a surrogate for Trump’s re-election campaign.
The incident — which occurred at 16:59 PDT — an hour before Trump was scheduled to appear on stage — highlights, once again, the intense security operation around him, and the dangers facing the former President, with just more than three weeks to go until the election.
It follows two high-profile alleged assassination attempts on Trump earlier this year.
Miller was charged with two misdemeanour weapons charges and was released on a $5,000 (£3,826) bail. No federal charges have been filed, BBC reported.
In a police news conference earlier on Sunday, Bianco warned he might not be able to “give all of the information… because of what we’re doing”.
The Sheriff added that as the suspect approached an outside perimeter, near the location of the rally, he “gave all indications that he was allowed to be there”.
But as the suspect got to the inside perimeter, “many irregularities popped up”, Sheriff Bianco added, explaining that the vehicle had a fake licence plate and was in “disarray” inside.
Multiple passports with multiple names and multiple driving licences were found in the car, the Sheriff said, adding that the licence plate was “home-made” and not registered.
He added that the suspect had told authorities he was a member of the far-right group called Sovereign Citizens.
He said the licence plate was also “indicative of a group of individuals that claim to be Sovereign Citizens”, but he had not concluded that Miller was a member.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a militant group. It’s just a group that doesn’t believe in government and government control,” he said.
“They don’t believe that government and laws apply to them.”
The US Attorney’s Office, Secret Service, and FBI are aware of the arrest, according to a statement from federal authorities.
“The US Secret Service assesses that the incident on Saturday did not impact protective operations and former President Trump was not in any danger,” the statement said.
“While no federal arrest has been made at this time, the investigation is ongoing. The US Attorney’s Office, US Secret Service, and FBI extend their gratitude to the deputies and local partners who helped ensure the safety of last night’s events.”
Security surrounding Trump has been heavily increased in the wake of previous alleged assassination attempts, BBC reported.
The Saturday before Miller’s arrest, Trump held his second rally in Butler, Pennsylvania this year, the same place where his ear was bloodied after a sniper fired multiple shots in his direction, killing one person in the crowd.
Another man is currently in jail after he was arrested outside the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach in September. The man was spotted hiding in bushes near the golf course with the muzzle of a rifle sticking out through the shrubbery.
(IANS)
