A man in possession of a shotgun, loaded handgun and fake passports was arrested outside a Southern California Donald Trump rally Saturday night according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. 

The suspect, Vem Miller, was stopped in his black SUV by authorities and arrested at a security checkpoint outside the Trump rally. 

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department had a larger outside perimeter for residents, or those with appropriate credentials, to continue entrance toward the inside perimeter before entering the rally. 

“In regard to previous attempts on the former president’s life, this was not something that we were taking lightly,” Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a press conference.

Miller claimed to be a member of the press and was let through the outside perimeter, as said at the press conference. Upon entrance to the inside perimeter deputies inspected his vehicle.

“The interior of the vehicle was in quite disarray,” Bianco said. “The vehicle had an obviously fake license plate and that prompted further investigation.”

Upon the investigation, deputies found several fake passports and IDs, a “high-capacity magazine,” and a loaded handgun and a shotgun. 

Miller was booked on possession of a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine and is scheduled to appear in court in January.

Trump had not arrived at the rally at the time of Miller’s arrest. 

Miller has since spoken out in a video he posted and told multiple news sources that speculations on his intentions that night at the rally are false. Miller said he is a Trump supporter who did not intend to harm the former president. 

“I certainly wouldn’t want to be saying after the fact that I wish we would’ve done something to prevent that shooting,” Bianco said. “There is absolutely no way that any of us are going to truly know what was in his head.” 

Bea Williams can be reached at [email protected].