Los Angeles, Ca
Man arrested outside of Trump's Southern California rally with multiple guns, fake press passes
A man was arrested outside of a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump in Southern California, and multiple guns were illegally in his possession, according to authorities.
The arrest took place at a checkpoint at the intersection of Avenue 52 and Celebration Drive in Coachella at 4:59 p.m. on Saturday, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said. The rally was scheduled to start at 5 p.m.
The driver of a black SUV, who was later identified as 49-year-old Vem Miller of Las Vegas, was found to be in illegal possession of a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and a high-capacity magazine.
Miller was then taken into custody and booked at the John J. Benoit Detention Center on suspicion of possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine.
According to the Riverside County Inmate Information System, Miller was released from the detention center Sunday on $5,000 bail.
The Sheriff’s Office said the incident had no impact on the safety of rally attendees or former President Trump.
No additional details were immediately made available.
Officials didn’t say where the guns were located in his SUV at the time of the arrest.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a noted supporter of Trump, said the incident was “probably” a third assassination attempt on the former President, according to the Southern California News Group.
Bianco told the news organization that Miller presented fake VIP and press passes at the checkpoint, which is what led to the search.
“We probably stopped another assassination attempt,” Bianco told SCNG.
Miller is a registered Republican. He filed to run for Nevada’s state assembly in 2022.
As of Sunday afternoon, Trump hadn’t publicly commented on the incident.
The arrest comes as multiple high-profile attempts of violence against the former President have taken place during the heated election cycle.
On July 13, Trump was grazed in the ear by a bullet coming from the gun of 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. Crooks was shot and killed by a member of the Secret Service.
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, is currently being prosecuted on gun charges after he hid out near a Florida golf course in an alleged attempt to have a clean shot at the former President and current Republican presidential nominee on Sept. 15.
Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.
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