A man arrested outside a Trump rally in California had guns and fake passports

A man who was carrying an illegal handgun and a loaded handgun was arrested at an intersection near Donald Trump’s rally in Coachella, California, on Saturday, police said.

The 49-year-old suspect, Vem Miller, was driving a black SUV when he was stopped in the search area by deputies, who found the two guns and a “high-quality magazine.”

Mr. Miller was taken into custody “without incident,” the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said, and was booked for possession of a loaded handgun and a large magazine.

The US Secret Service said Trump was “not in danger”, adding that the incident did not affect security operations.

The local sheriff called the suspect “crazy” and his office added that the encounter did not compromise the safety of Trump or those attending the meeting.

There are many unanswered questions.

Although Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said he could not speculate on what was going through the mind of the suspect, whom he called “crazy,” he said he “truly believes” his officers prevented a third murder attempt.

He added that it may not be possible to prove that this was the man’s intention.

A law enforcement official told CBS News that there were no signs of an attempted murder in connection with the incident.

Federal authorities say they are still investigating the incident, and it will be up to them to pursue additional charges.

The incident – which happened at 16:59 PDT (00:59 GMT) – an hour before Trump appeared on stage – highlights, once again, the tight security operation around him, and the dangers facing the former president, three weeks before the election.

This follows two high-profile attempts to assassinate Trump earlier this year.

Mr Miller was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon and was released on $5,000 (£3,826) bail. No federal charges have been filed.

At a police news conference earlier Sunday, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco warned he may not be able to “give out all the information… because of what we’re doing”.

He dismissed the question about the suspect being politically motivated – instead saying he was “a crazy person”.

The head of the court added that when the suspect approached the outside area, near where the meeting was held, “he showed all the indications that he was allowed to be there”.

But when the suspect got inside, “a lot of things were wrong”, said Sheriff Bianco, explaining that the car had a fake license plate and was “disintegrated” inside.

Multiple passports with multiple names and multiple driver’s licenses were found in the car, the court official said, adding that the numbers were “domestic” and unregistered.

The US attorney’s office, the Secret Service, and the FBI are aware of the arrest, according to a statement issued by federal authorities.

“The US Secret Service is assessing that this incident did not affect security operations and former President Trump was not in danger,” the statement said.

“Although no one has been arrested yet, the investigation is still ongoing. The US Attorney’s Office, the US Secret Service, and the FBI extend their gratitude to the deputies and local partners who helped ensure the safety of last night’s events.”

Security around Trump has been heightened after the alleged assassination attempt.

On the Saturday before Mr. Miller’s arrest, Trump held his second rally this year in Butler, Pennsylvania, the same place where his ear was covered in blood after a gunman fired multiple shots at him, killing one person in the crowd.

Another man is currently in jail after being arrested outside the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach in September. The suspect was seen hiding in the bushes near the golf course with the muzzle of the gun sticking out of the tree.