US election 2016: Gun scare forces Donald Trump off stage at Nevada rally

Republican Party candidate Donald Trump was on Saturday night whisked off the stage by Secret Service personnel at a rally in Nevada organised in the run-up to the US Presidential election -- due to be held in a few days -- after a possible sighting of a gunman. He later returned to the stage to finish speaking, after it was determined that the threat did not exist any more.

Security has been a sore spot at Trump's rallies, with security personnel having escorted a bunch of people -- from a reporter to a Muslim student -- out of them. However, not all fears the business tycoon-turned-politician are unfounded, because his rallies have often seen things go out of hand and turn violent outside their venues.

Then again, there have been instances of people actually trying to breach security, as was the case in March in Ohio, when Trump was left shaken as Secret Service personnel rushed to the stage to limit access to him after a commotion broke out behind him. A campaign spokesperson later said a man was trying to breach security, and had been subsequently charged with misdemeanours for his attempts.

On Saturday, the security action was prompted by what eyewitnesses described as a gun-toting individual. As whispers of "He has a gun" spread through the crowd at the rally in Reno, Trump tried to look into the crowd, but was immediately hustled off the stage by two Secret Service personnel -- who grabbed him by the shoulder and hurried him out.

After the man who was rumoured to be carrying the gun had been detained and escorted out with his hands behind his back, Trump returned to finish campaigning. He continued on predictable lines in his speech, saying: "If you want a government that will secure your borders, stop the massive inflow of refugees, lower your taxes, bring back your jobs, grow your economy and protect your family, vote for Donald Trump."