Authorities arrested a Nevada man with a loaded firearm near a Trump rally, prompting concerns over security at political events.
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| A 49-year-old man was detained at a security checkpoint outside a Trump rally after police found weapons and fake IDs in his vehicle. File Image Courtesy: Inquirer |
Coachella, California, USA --- October 14, 2024:
In a concerning incident at a security checkpoint outside Donald Trump’s rally in Coachella, California, a 49-year-old man from Las Vegas was arrested on Saturday night after authorities discovered a loaded handgun, a shotgun, and multiple fake passports in his vehicle. The suspect was driving an unregistered black SUV, which was stopped by deputies assigned to the event.
According to Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, the man approached the security checkpoint and claimed to be a journalist, though it remains unclear whether he possessed the necessary credentials to support this assertion. Deputies observed that the interior of the SUV was “in disarray,” prompting a search that uncovered a loaded firearm, ammunition, a shotgun, and several passports and driver’s licenses bearing different names.
The man was taken into custody on suspicion of possessing a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine. He was released later that evening after posting $5,000 bail and is expected to appear in court in January.
Sheriff Bianco assured the public that the incident did not jeopardize the safety of Trump or the attendees at the rally, stating that the former president had not yet arrived at the event when the arrest occurred. “We know we prevented something bad from happening, and it was irrelevant what that bad was going to be,” Bianco commented during a news conference on Sunday.
The U.S. Secret Service also evaluated the situation, concluding that it did not impact protective operations and that Trump was not in any danger. A statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed that, while no federal arrests had been made at this time, the investigation is ongoing.
Security protocols at Trump rallies have been tightened significantly following two recent assassination attempts. Just last month, a man was indicted on charges of attempted assassination after allegedly stalking Trump for 12 hours and expressing a desire to kill him. This came on the heels of a separate incident where Trump was shot and wounded in the ear during a rally in Pennsylvania.
Media members and VIP ticket holders attending the Coachella rally were routed through a series of checkpoints manned by law enforcement before reaching the venue, which included searches of vehicles by K-9 officers. General ticket holders were directed to a separate site three miles from the rally and transported to the event by bus.
As the investigation continues, the circumstances surrounding the suspect's motives remain a topic of speculation, with law enforcement focused on ensuring safety at future events. Trump's campaign has not yet commented on the arrest.