Authorities said they arrested a man who allegedly intended to kill former president Donald Trump at a rally in California Saturday
Former president Donald Trump was saved from assassination a third time Saturday after a man with weapons and fake passes was apprehended at a Coachella rally, the local sheriff said.
Police say the individual was apprehended using a fake admission pass around one mile from the rally site. In addition, he had a loaded shotgun, a handgun, and a large magazine with him. We probably stopped another assassination attempt, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said.
Around 5:00 p.m., Vem Miller, the suspect, pulled up in a black SUV to a checkpoint at the intersection of Avenue 52 and Celebration Drive, according to deputies assigned to Trump’s rally. According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department inmate record, Miller was set to appear at the Indio Larson Justice Center on January 2, 2025, after being released on $5,000 bail on Saturday.
Alleged shooter Vem Miller as armed with multiple weapons (Image:AFP via Getty Images)
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department noted in a news release that he was illegally in possession of a loaded handgun, a shotgun, and a high-capacity magazine. Miller, who Bianco claimed is a member of a right-leaning anti-government group, allegedly planned to assassinate Trump, but deputies stopped him when he produced phony VIP and press cards at a checkpoint.
They were different enough to cause the deputies alarm, Bianco said. We probably stopped another assassination attempt. The sheriff’s office claims that neither former President Trump nor event guests were harmed in the incident.
Alleged shooter Vem Miller as armed with multiple weapons (Image:AFP via Getty Images)
Miller, a registered Republican with a master’s degree from UCLA, entered the 2022 Nevada state assembly race. Miller, according to Bianco, views himself as a “sovereign citizen,” a group of people who don’t think they are bound by any laws unless they agree with them.
Bianco described the Sheriff’s Department’s setup as a “double perimeter,” which regulated entry within half a mile of the rally. Although residents were permitted entry, they were closely monitored to ensure they drove away from the rally and toward their neighborhoods.
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Alleged shooter Vem Miller as armed with multiple weapons (Image:AFP via Getty Images)
Miller hasn’t said a word to investigators, according to Bianco.The sheriff expressed his astonishment. I thought its not going to happen in Riverside County. We dont have the same sicko issues and violent protests like they have in Los Angeles. Were better than that. Go figure.
According to U.S. Secret Service authorities, Bianco’s department went “above and beyond” to ensure the safety of Trump and other rally attendees. “I am extremely proud of the mental and physical effort our deputies showed all day,” added Bianco, who noted that temperatures in the desert area were near 100 degrees.