The authorities arrested a Las Vegas man found armed with weapons and fake credentials just half a mile from the event, as confirmed by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.....Read The Full Article>>.....Read The Full Article>>
A third assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump was successfully thwarted on Saturday during his campaign rally in Coachella Valley, California.
Authorities arrested a Las Vegas man found armed with weapons and fake credentials just half a mile from the event, as confirmed by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Vem Miller, was stopped at a checkpoint by deputies at the intersection of Avenue 52 and Celebration Drive around 5 p.m. Miller was driving a black SUV and was discovered to be in illegal possession of a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and a high-capacity magazine. Sheriff Bianco indicated that Miller is associated with a right-wing anti-government group and likely intended to harm Trump. The arrest occurred after Miller presented suspicious VIP and press passes at the checkpoint, which raised immediate concerns among law enforcement officers.
“They were different enough to cause the deputies alarm,” Bianco stated. “We probably stopped another assassination attempt.” Miller, a registered Republican and a graduate of UCLA with a master’s degree, previously ran for the Nevada state assembly in 2022.
He identifies as part of the sovereign citizen movement, a group that denies the legitimacy of government authority unless personally consented to.
The Sheriff’s Department had established a double perimeter around the rally site, closely monitoring the area to ensure the safety of the attendees and the former president. Bianco expressed his surprise at the incident, saying, “I thought it’s not going to happen in Riverside County. We don’t have the same sicko issues and violent protests like they have in Los Angeles. We’re better than that. Go figure.”
He praised his deputies for their swift action, particularly as they worked under sweltering conditions near 100 degrees.
The U.S. Secret Service commended the Sheriff’s Department for their exemplary efforts in protecting Trump and rally attendees. “I am extremely proud of the mental and physical effort our deputies showed all day,” Bianco added.
In a separate incident at the rally, another man was questioned by the FBI after bomb-detecting dogs alerted to his presence.
While the individual was denied entry, further details about the incident have not yet been disclosed. Advertisements Miller has been booked at the John J. Benoit Detention Center for possessing a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine but was released on $5,000 bail.
His court appearance is set for January 2, 2025, at the Indio Larson Justice Center. The U.S. Secret Service issued a statement acknowledging the incident, affirming that it did not affect their protective operations. “The Secret Service extends its gratitude to the deputies and local partners who assisted in safeguarding last night’s events,” the statement read.
This latest attempt follows two previous incidents involving Trump. In September, Ryan Wesley Routh was charged after being found with a high-powered rifle near Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach, while in July, Matthew Crooks fired an AR-15-style rifle at Trump during a Pennsylvania rally, resulting in chaos and fatalities.
( With Agency Report)
