An armed individual was apprehended by police at a security checkpoint close to where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was holding a rally in Coachella, east of Los Angeles, this past Saturday. Identified as Vem Miller, the 49-year-old was driving a truck and was found with a shotgun, a loaded handgun, a high-capacity magazine, and a large amount of ammunition.
The Riverside County Sheriff, Chad Bianco, revealed during a press conference on Sunday that Miller also possessed multiple passports with different names, a vehicle that was unregistered with a counterfeit license plate, and loaded firearms. "I am convinced that we thwarted another assassination attempt," Bianco stated regarding Miller, who is a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to the sheriff, the incident did not jeopardize the safety of the former president or those attending the rally. The suspect was released on Saturday after posting a $5,000 bail, as per jail records, following charges of carrying a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine, both considered misdemeanors. Although no further federal arrests have been made, the investigation is still ongoing.
This event adds to a series of recent threats against Trump. Back in July, at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump narrowly escaped harm when a bullet grazed his ear, resulting in the death of one attendee. More recently, in September, another individual faced charges for attempting to assassinate Trump near his golf course in Palm Beach, where he was intercepted by the Secret Service.