Man Arrested With Guns Near Trump Rally in Coachella, Sheriff Says: NPR

Sheriff’s officers found a shotgun, a loaded handgun and a high-capacity magazine in 49-year-old Vem Miller’s car.

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Alex Brandon/AP/AP

A man is in custody after officers found weapons in his car near former President Donald Trump’s rally site in Coachella, California, on Saturday, according to Riverside County sheriff’s deputies.

The man was identified as Vem Miller, 49, of Las Vegas.

Sheriff’s deputies stopped Miller at a checkpoint inside Coachella, near the rally, and discovered he was illegally in possession of a shotgun, a loaded handgun and a high-capacity magazine. He also had numerous passports and driver’s licenses under different names and his SUV had fake license plates, Sheriff Chad Bianco said at a news conference Sunday.

Bianco described Miller as a “lunatic” and a member of the Sovereign Citizens.

“They are certainly considered a right-wing extremist group,” Bianco said. “I wouldn’t say it’s a militant group. It’s simply a group that doesn’t believe in government and government control.”

Nevada records show Miller is a registered Republican.

Miller also told officers at the checkpoint that he was a journalist and had a pass to attend the rally, Bianco said during a news conference Sunday.

Miller was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center on weapons charges and later released. He was given a court date.

It is unclear whether he will face federal charges. Bianco said the FBI and Secret Service would investigate any potential threat to Trump and would take over that part of the case.

The sheriff’s department said the stop and arrest occurred before Trump arrived at the venue.

After two attempted assassinations, security measures were increased at Trump’s campaign events. At the first rally in July in Pennsylvania, the former president was struck by a bullet and a rally supporter was killed. The shooter was killed by a sniper.

In the second case, Secret Service agents saw a man hiding in the bushes at Trump’s West Palm Beach resort, where he was playing golf. They later found an AK-style rifle and scope. The man is in federal custody.