Man with loaded gun arrested at Trump rally
Source: Riverside County Sheriff’s Office
Police say they believe they have foiled a third attempt on Donald Trump’s life with the arrest of a man with a shotgun, a loaded handgun and ammunition in his vehicle at a rally in California.
The 49-year-old Las Vegas resident, who has been named by police as Vem Miller, was driving a black SUV that was stopped by deputies assigned to the Saturday night rally in Coachella, east of Los Angeles.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said on Sunday (local time) that Miller had been arrested on suspicion of possessing a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine.
He was released on $US5000 ($7400) bail.
“This incident did not impact the safety of former president Trump or attendees of the event,” the statement said.
Vem Miller is a registered Republican, and says he’s a Trump supporter. Photo: LinkedIn
Journalists and VIP ticket holders attending the rally were sent through checkpoints staffed by state and local law enforcement officers before arriving at a large, grassy area where drivers were asked to open bonnets and boots, and each vehicle was searched.
Other general ticket holders were directed to a site roughly five kilometres away from the rally, where they were boarded onto buses and driven to the site.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said that Miller’s car was found to be unregistered and had a fake licence plate.
He was also allegedly carrying numerous passports in different names.
Bianco said authorities could only speculate about Miller’s motives – although he described him as “a lunatic”.
Bianco said that he believed Miller – who he said belonged to a right-leaning anti-government group – planned to kill Trump.
The plan was thwarted by officers who checked his VIP pass at a checkpoint.
“They were different enough to cause the deputies alarm,” Bianco said. “We probably stopped another assassination attempt.”
Miller later told local media he was shocked to have been arrested and accused of trying to harm Trump, who he supports.
“These accusations are complete bull—t,” he said.
“I’m an artist. I’m the last person that would cause any violence and harm to anybody.”
Miller, who is a registered Republican, said he had received a special invitation to Trump’s Coachella Valley rally from a leading local Republican.
He is also described as a partner and co-founder of The America Happens Network, whose motto is “Rage against the mainstream media”.
On his LinkedIn profile, Miller calls himself an investigative journalist and documentary film maker.
He is scheduled to appear in court in early 2025.
The Secret Service said in a statement it was aware of the arrest in California.
“The incident did not impact protective operations. The Secret Service extends its gratitude to the deputies and local partners who assisted in safeguarding last night’s events,” it said.
Trump, the Republican candidate in next month’s US presidential election, narrowly survived an assassination attempt in July when a gunman’s bullet grazed his ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
In September, another man was charged with trying to assassinate Trump after Secret Service agents discovered him hiding with a rifle near the former president’s Palm Beach golf course.
He pleaded not guilty.
Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest arrest.
-with AAP