A Las Vegas man, identified as 49-year-old Vem Miller, was arrested near Donald Trump's rally in Coachella on Saturday for possessing a handgun, a shotgun, and a high-capacity magazine. Deputies stationed at a checkpoint near Avenue 52 and Celebration Drive found the suspect inside an SUV. Miller was subsequently arrested and booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center on charges of possessing a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine.
"We arrested a man trying to get in the perimeter with two firearms who ended up saying he was going to kill the president," Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told The Epoch Times on Sunday.
According to the Riverside Press-Enterprise, Vem Miller is a registered Republican with a master's degree from UCLA. He ran for the Nevada state assembly in 2022 and is affiliated with a right-leaning anti-government group.
Sheriff Chad Bianco told the outlet that Miller attempted to use counterfeit VIP and press passes at a checkpoint on Saturday, which raised alarms among deputies.
"They were different enough to cause the deputies alarm," Bianco told the outlet. "We probably stopped another assassination attempt."
Miller was released on $5,000 bail and is scheduled to appear at the Indio Larson Justice Center on January 2, 2025.
The Secret Service issued a statement regarding the incident.
"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," the agency said.
In a press release on Sunday, the sheriff's department confirmed that the incident "did not impact the safety of former President Trump or attendees of the event."
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact Deputy Coronado at the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station at (760) 836–1600.