A man armed with firearms and carrying fake credentials was arrested near a rally for former President Donald Trump in California over the weekend. Authorities in Riverside County say they may have prevented an assassination attempt on the former president.
Vem Miller, a 49-year-old resident of Las Vegas, was stopped by Riverside County deputies at a checkpoint just a mile from Trump’s rally in the Coachella Valley.
The officers found him in possession of a loaded handgun, a shotgun, and a high-capacity magazine, alongside suspicious press and VIP entry passes.
“We probably stopped another assassination attempt,” Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a statement following the arrest.
Miller, who was driving a black SUV, was detained after officers noticed discrepancies in his fake credentials. “They were different enough to cause the deputies alarm,” Sheriff Bianco explained to local media.
Miller is believed to be affiliated with a right-wing, anti-government organization, according to Sheriff Bianco, who added that the suspect’s intent was to target Donald Trump at the rally. The sheriff also noted that Miller holds a master’s degree from UCLA and ran for the Nevada State Assembly in 2022.
The incident is raising questions about Miller’s motives and whether he had acted alone or with others. However, Miller was taken into custody without incident and was later booked at the John J. Benoit Detention Center on charges of possessing a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine.
“This incident did not impact the safety of former President Trump or the attendees at the event,” the Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a public statement.
Miller was released after posting $5,000 bail, but he is scheduled to appear in court on January 2, 2024, to face the charges. His arrest has sparked a wave of concern, given the seriousness of the allegations and the proximity to the former president’s rally.
There has been no comment from Donald Trump’s campaign or the U.S. Secret Service regarding the incident, though heightened security measures are expected at future events. Trump, who has been holding rallies across the country as part of his campaign efforts, drew a large crowd in Coachella despite the soaring temperatures, which reached nearly 38°C.
The Coachella Valley, best known for its annual music festival, has rarely hosted political rallies of this scale. Trump’s decision to hold an event in the heavily Democratic state of California has surprised political observers, yet his appearance attracted substantial turnout.