A man was arrested outside the former president Donald TrumpSaturday at a campaign rally in Coachella, Calif., when deputies assigned to a routine security check found him traveling with a shotgun, handgun, ammunition and several fake passports, Riverside County sheriff’s officials said.
The Secret Service said in a statement on Sunday that the incident had no effect on protection operations and that Trump was not in any danger.
When he was arrested by local police, the man made no threats directed at Trump, and federal investigators have found no threats directed at Trump, sources told ABC News.
There are indications on social media that she supports Trump and was at the RNC, according to sources.
The individual, who authorities have since identified as Vem Miller, a 49-year-old Las Vegas resident, said he was a member of the press who was allowed to pass through the security perimeter outside the event.
The security checkpoint where the seizure was located was on the inside perimeter, monitored by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and only residents and those with official documentation could enter, according to Sheriff Chad Bianco.
While trying to check the man’s license, officers found his vehicle — an unregistered SUV with “home” license plates, according to Bianco, in disarray.
A subsequent search revealed weapons and passports, in addition to driver’s licenses under various aliases, Bianco said. There were also indications that the man is affiliated with the anti-government Sovereign Citizens movement, according to the sheriff, who he described as a “fringe group.”
Trump was not yet at the rally when the incident occurred, officials said.
Republican presidential candidate Former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the spin room after an ABC News presidential debate with Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Matt Slocum/AP
The man was arrested on suspicion of having a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine, according to a statement released by the department on Sunday. He was arrested, booked into jail and later released on $5,000 bond pending a future court date, according to court records.
“In light of the previous events in Trump’s life, we had a very detailed plan for Trump’s security and for the attendees,” Bianco said in a statement Sunday night, referring to a the attack last month at Trump’s Palm Beach golf course in Florida, as well as a shooting in July At a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is working with the FBI and Secret Service. Beyond the firearms and ammunition charges, additional charges would come from the federal government, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office Sunday.
in one Joint Statement on XThe U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Secret Service and the FBI said they “extend thanks to the deputies and local partners who helped ensure the security of last night’s events.”
ABC News’ Luke Barr, Pierre Thomas and Marilyn Heck contributed to this report.
