A tense moment unfolded outside Donald Trump's campaign rally in Coachella, California, when an armed man was arrested just weeks before the upcoming election.
The suspect, 49-year-old Vem Miller, was taken into custody after attempting to pass a checkpoint near the rally on Saturday around 5 p.m.
Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Calhoun Ranch near Coachella on Saturday, October 12, 2024
Miller allegedly tried to use fake VIP credentials to enter the event and was found with a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and a high-capacity magazine in his vehicle.
Local authorities believe this might be the third assassination attempt on the former president this year.
In July, Trump was shot in the ear during an event in Butler, Pennsylvania, and in September, another armed suspect planned to target him at his West Palm Beach golf club.
Donald Trump onstage after he was grazed by a bullet at a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania
Despite these incidents, a source close to Trump’s campaign reassured the public, stating that this latest threat was handled swiftly, and neither Trump nor the rally attendees were ever in danger.
While the Riverside County Sheriff's Office echoed these sentiments, Sheriff Chad Bianco told Southern California News Group, “We probably stopped another assassination attempt.”