A 49-year-old man, Vem Miller, was arrested near United States Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s rally in Coachella, California, on Saturday after police found him with two guns and fake passports.
The arrest happened just an hour before Trump was scheduled to speak at the rally.
Miller was driving a black SUV when he was stopped at a security checkpoint by deputies. They found a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and a high-capacity magazine inside the vehicle. He was taken into custody without any trouble and charged with possession of a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said the situation did not affect the safety of Trump or the people attending the rally. “Donald Trump was not in any danger,” the US Secret Service confirmed.
While federal officials continue to investigate, Sheriff Bianco expressed that he “truly believed” his officers had prevented what could have been a third assassination attempt. However, he added, “It might be impossible to prove that this was the man’s intent.”
At a press conference, Sheriff Bianco mentioned that there were many unusual things about the situation. The vehicle had a fake license plate, and inside it were multiple passports and driver’s licenses under different names. The sheriff also noted that the suspect claimed to be part of a far-right group called Sovereign Citizens, a group that does not believe in government authority.
Miller was released on a $5,000 bail, but no federal charges have been filed yet. Federal authorities are still investigating the case.
This incident comes at a time of heightened security around Donald Trump, who is just weeks away from the election. It also follows two earlier alleged assassination attempts on the former president earlier this year.
