A man arrested at a security checkpoint at a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in California on Saturday has been charged with illegal possession of weapons after several firearms were found on his person, as well as several passports and a fake car licence plate, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said on Sunday, the 13th of October, reports Reuters and Politico.
The Sheriff added that he believed his department had stopped the assassination attempt, although he admitted that this was a “speculative” assumption.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department arrested 49-year-old Vem Miller from Las Vegas on Saturday evening, before Trump arrived at the rally. Bianco said that upon further investigation, it was found that Miller was illegally possessing a firearm, a pistol and a large capacity magazine in his car.
“What we do know is that he arrived with multiple passports in different names, an unregistered vehicle with fake license plates and loaded firearms,” the sheriff said at a news conference on Sunday.
“I truly believe we thwarted another assassination attempt.”
According to the sheriff’s office, the man was stopped by sheriff’s deputies at around 5 p.m. local time on Saturday as he pulled up to a checkpoint in a black SUV and was taken into custody without incident.
According to jail records, Miller was released on 5 000 US dollars bail less than 24 hours after his arrest. He was charged with possession of an illegal firearm and possession of a large capacity magazine, which are misdemeanours.
Miller told reporters after his release that he was shocked by the arrest and that he supported Trump.
“The incident did not affect the safety of former President Trump or the event attendees,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
Bianco said the sheriff’s department’s investigation is complete and they are actively working with the Secret Service and FBI “to ensure that this individual is monitored.”
The US Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles also said in a statement published on its website on Sunday, referring to the US Secret Service, that Trump was not at risk.
The statement added that although no federal arrest had been made, the investigation was ongoing.
In July, Trump escaped an assassination attempt when a bullet hit his ear at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. In September, another man was accused of trying to kill Trump after he was found with a rifle at a golf course in Palm Beach, but he pleaded not guilty. These incidents have raised concerns about the Secret Service’s security planning and response.