Authorities reported that a Nevada man was arrested at a security checkpoint outside a Donald Trump rally in Southern California on Saturday night after being found with a shotgun, a loaded handgun, ammunition, and multiple fake passports in his vehicle. He was released later that same day after posting $5,000 bail.
The 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, located east of Los Angeles, according to Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco during a Sunday news conference.
The driver identified himself as a journalist, but it was unclear whether he had valid credentials. Deputies observed that the inside of the vehicle was disorganized, and a subsequent search revealed the weapons, ammunition, and various passports and driver’s licenses under different names, Bianco stated.
The man faces charges for possessing a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine, as noted in a department statement.
The sheriff’s office indicated that “this incident did not impact the safety of former President Trump or the event attendees.” Trump had not yet arrived at the rally when the arrest took place, the sheriff confirmed on Sunday.
