Man arrested near Trump rally had two guns and fake passports
A man, unlawfully carrying both a shotgun and a loaded handgun, was apprehended at an intersection close to Donald Trump’s rally in the vibrant city of Coachella, California, on a bustling Saturday, according to police reports.
The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Vem Miller, was behind the wheel of a sleek black SUV when he was halted at a security checkpoint. There, attentive deputies discovered the illicit firearms along with a ‘high-capacity magazine’.
Mr. Miller was subsequently detained ‘without incident’, as confirmed by the Riverside County Sheriff’s office, and he now faces charges for possession of a loaded firearm and holding a high-capacity magazine.
The US Secret Service assured that Trump ‘was not in any danger’, further stating that the episode had no effect on their protective operations.
A local sheriff called the suspect a “lunatic” and his office added the encounter did not affect the safety of Trump or the rally’s attendees.
Many questions remain unanswered.
While Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said it was impossible to speculate about what was in the mind of the suspect, he said he “truly believed” that his officers had prevented a third assassination attempt.
He added that it might be impossible to prove that this was the man’s intent.