
(Scypre.com) – Authorities arrested an armed individual outside a Donald Trump rally in California on Saturday, leading to a heated debate over whether a potential assassination attempt had been thwarted. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, in particular, has doubled down on claims that his department prevented a third assassination attempt on the former president, despite later releasing the suspect on a $5,000 bail for weapons charges.
🚨BREAKING NEWS JUST ANNOUNCED:
— AJ Huber (@Huberton) October 13, 2024
Third Trump Assassination Attempt!!! Armed Man With Loaded Gun Outside the Outside President Trump Coachella California Rally Arrested, identified as Vem Miller, According To Sheriff
Enough! Protect Trump at all costs! pic.twitter.com/TVh1BcFjKK
Sheriff Bianco spoke to the press the following day, stating, “I truly do believe we prevented another assassination attempt.” The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Vem Miller, was apprehended at a checkpoint outside Trump’s rally in Coachella Valley. Miller allegedly attempted to enter the event with a fraudulent press pass. Authorities then discovered his car was unregistered, prompting a search that yielded several alarming items: fake passports, driver’s licenses, a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and a high-capacity magazine.
After Miller was booked on multiple weapons charges, he was quickly released on bail. Despite this, Sheriff Bianco stood by his assertion that his department’s actions likely saved Trump’s life, telling the Riverside Press-Enterprise that their intervention may have averted a grave situation.
However, federal agencies seemed to challenge that narrative. The Secret Service, which was responsible for Trump’s security during the rally, downplayed the threat level, with sources stating they found it unlikely that Miller intended to assassinate the former president. Additionally, the FBI has refrained from treating the incident as an assassination attempt, noting that Miller is affiliated with a far-right anti-government group and likely possessed the weapons for personal defense rather than for nefarious purposes.
In a joint statement, the Secret Service and FBI clarified that “the incident did not impact protective operations, and former President Trump was not in any danger.” They emphasized that while no federal arrest had been made, the investigation was ongoing.
Miller briefly spoke to reporters after his release, rejecting the idea that he was planning an assassination, calling the claims “complete bulls–t.” Nevertheless, Sheriff Bianco continued to assert his belief that deputies may have thwarted a potentially deadly attack. Speaking to reporters, Bianco described Miller as a “lunatic” and expressed frustration over accusations that he was overreacting. “If we are that politically lost, that we have lost sight of common sense and reality… we have a serious, serious problem in this country,” he remarked.
Despite these strong words, Bianco also noted that any charges related to an assassination attempt would fall under federal jurisdiction and not his office. He confirmed that his department was collaborating with both the Secret Service and the FBI in the ongoing investigation.
Miller’s background is marked by a series of minor legal troubles, and sources suggest he is involved in the sovereign citizens movement—a far-right extremist group that rejects government authority. The FBI has described this movement as comprised of “anti-government extremists” who believe they are separate from the United States, even while residing within the country. Members of the group are known for refusing to recognize the legitimacy of taxes and court orders, and they are particularly resistant to traffic stops. In a notable case from 2023, an armed sovereign citizen was fatally shot after refusing to cooperate during a traffic stop in Utah.
Miller, who is a registered Republican and holds a master’s degree from UCLA, previously ran for the Nevada State Assembly in 2022, according to reports from the Press-Enterprise. He also operates a California-based CBD company and has shared conspiracy theories and misogynistic rhetoric online.
This incident comes on the heels of two other attempts to assassinate Trump earlier in the year. In July, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, striking Trump in the ear and narrowly missing a fatal shot. One bystander was killed, and two others were wounded before Crooks was taken down by Secret Service snipers.
Later, in September, another suspect, Ryan Routh, was caught at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club with an assault rifle, waiting in the bushes while the former president was playing a nearby hole. Federal prosecutors believe Routh hid in the area for 12 hours before being spotted by a Secret Service agent. Though he managed to flee initially, Routh was later apprehended.
In light of the recent arrest in California, the Trump campaign expressed gratitude to law enforcement. Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, released a statement thanking the authorities for their work in securing the rally site and ensuring the president’s safety, adding that the campaign was “monitoring the situation and gathering more information.”