Man arrested with weapons outside Trump rally in California

Photo: Mario Tama Getty Images via Agence France-Presse Republican presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally on October 12, 2024 in Coachella, California.

Agence France-Presse in Los Angeles

Published at 17:38 Updated at 20:04

• United States

A man was arrested Saturday near a Donald Trump rally in Coachella, California on charges of illegal possession of multiple weapons before being released on bail the same evening, the local sheriff's office said Sunday.

“Former President Trump was not in danger,” the Secret Service, which protects senior American political figures, said in a joint statement with the FBI and the Attorney General's office.

The announcement comes after two assassination attempts against the former Republican president and White House candidate in recent months, and at a time when he has been calling for more resources to be devoted to his security.

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The suspect, identified as a 49-year-old Las Vegas resident named Vem Miller, was “in possession of a rifle, a loaded pistol, and a high-capacity magazine” in his car, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office in eastern California said in a statement.

“The incident did not impact the safety of former President Trump or event attendees,” the statement continued.

The suspect was arrested before Trump arrived at the scene “with multiple passports in different names, an unregistered vehicle with a false license plate, and loaded firearms,” Sheriff Chad Bianco said at a news conference.

“There is absolutely no way that any of us would know what was going through his mind,” he added.

But “if you ask me right now, my agents probably prevented the third attempt on Trump’s life,” said the elected official, who is known for his support of the former president and spoke at the rally Saturday night.

The FBI, Secret Service and Justice Department said in a statement that the investigation is ongoing. continued.

The suspect was released on $5,000 bail Saturday night and is due to appear in local court on January 2 on charges of “possession of a loaded firearm” and “possession of a high-capacity magazine.”

Donald Trump’s campaign team did not immediately respond.

The former Republican president narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on July 13 when a gunman opened fire during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania (northeast), hitting him in the ear and killing a member of the audience.

In mid-September, a man was also arrested, accused of trying to shoot Donald Trump at one of his golf courses in Florida.

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