Armed Man Arrested Near Trump Rally Over Concerns About 'Third ...

15 Oct 2024

Forbes

Topline

A man carrying loaded firearms and fake passports was arrested outside the security checkpoint near former president Donald Trump’s weekend rally in Coachella, California, which law enforcement described as a likely “third assassination attempt” against the former president, a claim the suspect, who identifies as a Trump supporter, said was false.

Presidential candidate Donald Trump is introduced during a rally at Calhoun Ranch in Coachella.

Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Key Facts

In a press conference Sunday, the Riverside County Sheriff's office said 49-year-old Vem Miller from Nevada was taken into custody after deputies stopped his black SUV at a security checkpoint and found multiple unregistered firearms in his possession—including a shotgun and a loaded handgun—and a high capacity magazine.

While searching his car, deputies also discovered multiple passports and driver’s licenses with different names and found the vehicle’s license plate was “home-made” and unregistered.

Miller was stopped after presenting a fake VIP pass for the Trump rally to the deputies at the checkpoint and, upon being questioned, later informed them he was a member of the far-right group known as the “Sovereign Citizens.”

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told reporters his deputies probably did prevent a “third assassination attempt” against Trump and if he was going to be “accused of being dramatic we have a serious serious problem in this country.”

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Contra

Miller, who identifies as a Trump supporter on social media, strongly rejected the allegations against him in an interview with the Southern California News Group, the publisher of the Los Angeles Daily News. Miller told the outlet he was “shocked” by his arrest and allegations that he was trying to harm Trump, saying: “These accusations are complete bull—t… I’m the last person that would cause any violence and harm to anybody.” Miller claimed he was a Trump caucus captain and had been invited to the rally by the head of the Clark County Republican Party. In his LinkedIn profile, Miller says he is a partner at the America Happens Network—an outlet that claims to produce news content “that counters the official Mainstream Media Narrative and brings Truth to the Public.” Early on Monday, Miller published an hour-long video on the outlet’s official Rumble channel, claiming everything the Sheriff’s office released were “outright lies,” and reiterated the claims from the interview. Miller also told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he had attended 10 other Trump rallies in New York and California with firearms in the trunk of his car.

Tangent

The 49-year-old is a registered Republican and he ran in the GOP primary for a Nevada state assembly seat in 2022. Miller finished third in the primary. His LinkedIn profile suggests he began his online media outlet a few months after his election loss. In an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2022, Miller said he was running for office because “this country has been taken over by tyranny” and said he will focus on alleged voter fraud if elected. On his Facebook page, Miller has posted multiple far-right conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines and 9/11 and has even called for treason charges against Democrats.

Crucial Quote

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told reporters: “I couldn’t care less what political party he belonged to. I think that's the stupidest thing in the world that we have to label something and we're labeling this his politics. He was a lunatic.”