Man with guns and fake pass arrested outside Donald Trump rally in California

A man armed with guns and a fake pass was arrested on Saturday outside Donald Trump’s rally in Coachella, California, the police said.

The arrest took place at a checkpoint near the intersection of Avenue 52 and Celebration Drive in Coachella, just moments before a rally was set to begin on Saturday, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

The authorities suspect that it may be the third assassination attempt against the former US President.

The suspect was also carrying a loaded shotgun, a handgun and a high capacity magazine, the New York Post reported.

“We probably stopped another assassination attempt,” Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said.

Police intercepted a man identified as Vem Miller at a checkpoint about half a mile from a rally entrance. He was found with fake press and VIP passes, which raised suspicion, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said.

Miller, believed to be part of a right-wing anti-government group, was allegedly plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, according to Bianco.

Miller, who holds a master’s degree from UCLA and ran for the Nevada State Assembly in 2022, was booked for possessing a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine, according to police records.

He was released after posting $5,000 bail on Saturday, and is slated to appear before court on January 2, 2025, news agency Associated Press reported.

Meanwhile, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office has announced that it will hold a press conference regarding the incident at 8:30 am IST today.

“This incident did not impact the safety of former President Trump or attendees of the event,” the police stated.

Media personnel and VIP ticket holders made their way through intersections manned by state and local law enforcement before reaching a large, open grassy area. There, K-9 officers inspected vehicles, asking drivers to pop their hoods and trunks for thorough checks. Meanwhile, general ticket holders were sent to a spot about three miles away, where buses shuttled them to the rally site, news agency AP reported.

Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in July when a bullet grazed his ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

In a separate incident in September, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh was charged with attempting to kill Trump after Secret Service agents found him hiding with a rifle near Trump’s Palm Beach golf course in Florida. However, he pleaded not guilty.

(Inputs from agencies)