A man has been arrested at a security checkpoint outside a Donald Trump rally.
The suspect was later identified as Vem Miller. He was carrying a shotgun, a loaded handgun and ammunition in his car as well as fake press and VIP passes for the rally.
Miller was driving an unregistered black SUV and was stopped by deputies assigned to the rally in Coachella Valley, outside of Los Angeles, police said on Sunday.
The 49-year-old Nevada resident was also carrying multiple passports and fake licences with different names on them, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a news conference on Sunday.
“We probably stopped another assassination attempt,” he said.
“We know we prevented something bad from happening, and it was irrelevant what that bad was going to be.”
Riverside County Sheriff’s Department also released a statement on Sunday outlining the former US president’s safety was not put in jeopardy.
“The incident did not impact the safety of former president Trump or attendees of the event,” it said.
The Secret Service praised local deputies in a statement for arresting the suspect and for noticing the the false press and VIP passes.
“The incident did not impact protective operations. The Secret Service extends its gratitude to the deputies and local partners who assisted in safeguarding last night’s events,” it said.
As part of the security measures for the rally, people from the media and those who had VIP tickets were routed through a number of intersections that state and local law enforcement officers where at. After this they arrived at a large, grassy area where drivers were asked to open hoods and trunks, and each vehicle was searched by a K-9 officer.
General ticket holders were shown to a site about 5 kilometres away from the rally, where they were taken on buses and driven to the site.
The Nevada man who was arrested for suspicion of possessing a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine, was later released on bail for $5,000. He is due to appear in court on January 2, 2025.
Photo: Donald Trump by Gage Skidmore is available HERE and is used under a Creative Commons License. This image has not been modified.
