Armed man arrested at checkpoint near Trump's weekend rally in California

A Nevada man with a shotgun, a loaded handgun and ammunition in his vehicle was arrested at a security checkpoint outside Donald Trump's rally Saturday night in the Southern California desert, authorities said Sunday.

The suspect, a 49-year-old resident of Las Vegas, was driving a black SUV that was stopped by deputies assigned to the rally in Coachella, east of Los Angeles, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

He was released Saturday on USD 5,000 bail.

The man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine, the department said.

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

The suspect is scheduled to appear in court on January 2, 2025, according to online records.

Media members, as well as VIP ticket holders, were routed through a number of intersections manned by state and local law enforcement officers before arriving at a large, gr