Authorities detained an individual, who was equipped with firearms and counterfeit media and VIP credentials, at a political rally in California hosted by Donald Trump on a recent Saturday. Vem Miller, the individual in question hails from Las Vegas and was nabbed by law enforcement at a screening point roughly a half-mile shy from the rally entrance in Coachella Valley, California, shortly before the event kicked off, as informed by the police on Sunday.
The police revealed that Mr Miller was in possession of a loaded shotgun, a sidearm and came with a high-capacity magazine. They theorise him to be part of a right-leaning, anti-government group. Authorities charged Mr Miller with having a loaded weapon and a high-capacity magazine in his possession. Police confirmed that he was set free on a $5,000 bail.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s office reported that the event was unaffected by the incident, and neither the former president nor the attendees’ safety was compromised. The Secret Service demonstrated gratitude towards local law enforcement for aiding the protection during the event, also expressing that the incident did not influence their safety measures.
Furthermore, the US Attorney’s Los Angeles office reiterated that the incident posed no threat to Mr Trump, crediting the US Secret Service for the safety measures. While no federal arrest was recorded, the case remains open for investigation.
County sheriff Chad Bianco suggested that Mr Miller intended to assassinate Trump, though he admitted that this claim was speculative. “The known facts are that he arrived bearing multiple passports with various names, an unregistered car sporting a fake number plate, and loaded firearms,” Sheriff Bianco remarked in a media briefing.
Mr Miller, maintaining that he supports Mr Trump, bought the guns for his protection. He claimed to have informed the checkpoint authorities about the firearms in his car’s boot.
Commenting on his accusations, Mr Miller exclaimed, “These allegations are absolute nonsense. I am an artist; I’d be the last person to inflict harm or violence on anyone.” He shared his shock regarding his arrest and disclosed his detainment duration of about eight hours.
Mr Miller is a holder of a master’s degree from UCLA and attempted an unsuccessful run for the Nevada State Assembly in 2022. Sheriff Bianco implied that Mr Miller identifies with the sovereign citizens – a faction of individuals who reject the legitimacy of governmental laws unless they willingly submit to them.
Mr Bianco communicated that Mr Miller’s identification card was sufficiently unusual to garner the attention of the local rally security. As reported by the Riverside Press-Enterprise, he stated, “It caused enough concern to prompt the deputies”.
In July, Mr Trump had a narrow escape from an assassination attempt when a bullet from an assailant grazed his ear at a campaign rally held in Butler, Pennsylvania. Following this in September, another male individual was apprehended and indicted for an attempted assassination on the former President, upon finding him concealed near Mr Trump’s Palm Beach golf course with a rifle. Nevertheless, he has pleaded not guilty since then.
Mr Bianco conveyed that the US Secret Service had acknowledged that his unit had gone “over and above” their duties in ensuring the safety of Mr Trump and other participants at the rally. He also stated that another man is undergoing FBI interrogation as bomb-sniffing dogs had identified him as potentially hazardous “several times”. This individual was barred from the rally, informed Mr Bianco.
According to the inmate database of the Riverside County Sheriff’s department, Mr Miller has a court appearance scheduled for January 2nd, at the Indio Larson justice center. Sources: Guardian/Reuters.