Armed man arrested near Trump's California rally

A man found illegally in possession of a shotgun and a loaded handgun was arrested by sheriff's deputies assigned to protect a Donald Trump rally in Coachella, California, the Riverside County sheriff's office announced.

It said on Sunday, the deputies, manning a checkpoint near the rally, arrested 49-year-old Vem Miller of Las Vegas as he drove up in a black SUV.

They later booked him at a local detention centre on charges of possessing a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine.

"This incident did not impact the safety of former President Trump or attendees of the event," the statement said.

The sheriff's office offered no immediate information on Miller's intentions. He was released on bail and faces a court hearing on January 2.

There was no immediate comment from either the Trump campaign or the US Secret Service, which is charged with protecting top officials and candidates.

The sheriff's office said it would provide additional details at a briefing later Sunday.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco addressed Trump supporters at the rally in Coachella on Saturday.

Assassination attempts

Concerns mounted as the arrest came on the heels of two assassination attempts on Trump.

Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt in July, when a gunman's bullet grazed his ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

In September, another man was charged with trying to assassinate Trump after Secret Service agents discovered him hiding with a rifle near Trump's Palm Beach golf course. He pleaded not guilty.

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Source: TRT