A man has been arrested outside a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump in California.
According to local police, another possible assassination attempt on Mr. Trump was prevented in time on October 12 (local time). However, the incident was not announced until October 13.
The Riverside County Sheriffs Office said authorities arrested Vem Miller, a 49-year-old Las Vegas resident, at a checkpoint outside Mr. Trumps campaign rally in California. The suspect was carrying a loaded handgun and a large-caliber magazine.
Suspect Vem Miller. Photo: Instagram
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told local media that Miller presented a fake VIP pass and press pass at the checkpoint. The suspect is a Republican who holds a masters degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and ran for Nevadas state assembly in 2022.
Miller has not confirmed or denied that he intended to assassinate Mr. Trump.
The 49-year-old suspect is free on $5,000 bail and is due to appear in court in January 2025 on charges of illegal possession of a firearm.
Republican Matt Gaetz claimed last month that there are currently five assassination groups in the United States trying to kill Mr. Trump, three of which have ties to Iran, Pakistan and Ukraine. Another popular theory is that insiders within the Secret Service are leaking information to these assassination groups, Gaetz told Breitbart News.
Mr. Trump at a campaign rally in California on October 12. Photo: EPA
Neither the Secret Service nor the Trump campaign have commented on the information. Mr. Trumps decision to hold a campaign rally in California on October 12 surprised political analysts, who noted that the state leans Democratic.