Inside the accused’s vehicle, police officers found a loaded shotgun, a loaded handgun, ammunition, multiple fake passports, and various driver’s licenses.
A Nevada man was arrested on gun charges after being stopped at a security checkpoint outside a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Saturday night in Coachella, California, reported the Associated Press. The man, identified as 49-year-old Vem Miller from Las Vegas, was driving an unregistered black SUV with a homemade license plate when Riverside County deputies intercepted him. Inside his vehicle, officers found a loaded shotgun, a loaded handgun, ammunition, multiple fake passports, and various driver’s licenses, authorities reported.
Sheriff Chad Bianco, speaking at a press conference on Sunday, stated that the vehicle was flagged for its suspicious appearance, and the interior was described as being in “disarray.” The driver, who claimed to be a journalist, was unable to provide proper credentials, raising further concerns for officers at the scene. After a search of the vehicle, deputies uncovered the firearms and fake documents, leading to Miller’s arrest.
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Despite the troubling discovery, officials emphasised that the incident did not pose a direct threat to former President Trump or the attendees at the rally. Trump had not yet arrived at the event when the suspect was apprehended. Sheriff Bianco said, “We know we prevented something bad from happening, and it was irrelevant what that bad was going to be.” While the sheriff speculated that the arrest potentially stopped an assassination attempt, he refrained from making definitive claims about the man’s intentions.
Miller was taken into custody on suspicion of possessing a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine, both misdemeanours under California law. He was released later that same evening on $5,000 bail, with a court date set for January 2, 2025. Although no federal arrest was made, the US Secret Service and the US Attorney’s Office confirmed that a federal investigation is ongoing.
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The arrest comes in the wake of heightened security measures at Trump rallies following two recent assassination attempts. In July, a gunman fired at Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania, wounding him in the ear, while in September, another man was charged with plotting to assassinate Trump near his Palm Beach golf course.
Trump’s campaign did not immediately comment on the incident, but law enforcement reiterated that the situation was contained without disruption to the event.
