Police arrested a man they said was armed with multiple weapons and inconsistent identification documents just outside a Donald Trump rally on Saturday in Coachella Valley, California, in what officials are describing as a thwarted third assassination attempt against the former president.
However, the suspect – described as a “sovereign citizen” – is believed to be a Trump fan and told a news outlet he didn’t mean the Republican candidate any harm.
Here’s everything we know about suspect Vem Miller, 49, who has denied wrongdoing.
How was he arrested?
Deputies stopped suspect Vem Miller in a black SUV around 5pm on Saturday about half a mile from the rally, after he allegedly managed to make it through an initial security checkpoint by claiming VIP and media credentials.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said at a press conference on Sunday that at a second stop, a deputy noticed that Miller’s SUV was in “disarray” with an “obviously fake” license plate, prompting deputies to investigate further.
Police then found that Miller allegedly had multiple driver’s licenses and passports with different names and possessed a loaded handgun and shotgun, both unregistered, as well as a high-capacity ammunition magazine. Sheriff Bianco said the markings on the license plate indicated Miller was part of “a group of individuals that claim to be ‘sovereign citizens,’” a right-wing movement that doesn’t believe in the legitimacy of the government.
The Independent has contacted Miller for comment.
What charges is he facing?
“Miller was taken into custody without incident and later booked at the John J. Benoit Detention Center for possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine,” the sheriff’s office said in the release.
Miller has denied he was near the rally to attack Trump.
The 49-year-old told Southern California News Group he was “shocked” to hear the arrest being described as an assassination plot, telling the outlet he’s a supporter of the former president.
“These accusations are complete bull****,” Miller said. “I’m an artist, I’m the last person that would cause any violence and harm to anybody.”
Sources close to the Trump campaign told Fox News there had been no assassination attempt at the Coachella rally.
Miller was released Saturday on bail and is scheduled to appear at the Indio Larson Justice Center in early January, according to the local Press Enterprise newspaper.
The Riverside Sheriff’s Office said Sunday its investigation of Miller is likely near its end, and that any future charges would likely come from federal officials.
The Independent has contacted the FBI’s Las Vegas office for comment.
Who is Vem Miller?
Miller was described in a police press release as a 49-year-old resident of Las Vegas.
A LinkedIn page belonging to a Las Vegas man named Vem Miller describes its owner as “an investigative journalist, documentary filmmaker, and a content producer,” who has worked on projects for well-known networks including Netflix and VICE Media.
The page also suggests Miller was part of a successful music video director duo called Vem & Tony, and helped direct music videos for artists like DMX and Trey Songz, according to IMDB. A man who appears to be this Vem Miller can be seen making a brief appearance in the background of archival footage from the recent Kanye West documentary Jeen-Yuhs.
Social media belonging to a Vem Miller of Las Vegas shows as man posing for selfies with MAGA and conservative figures including Steve Bannon, Steven Miller, Russell Brand, Robert F Kennedy Jr and Newt Gingrich. A self-filmed video shows the same man at the Republican National Convention, describing “good people, good times”, and coming close to Donald Trump Jr as he walks past.
The social media account links to a content company called The American Happens Network, a network of documentaries and podcast featuring themes and figures associated with the political right, including a documentary about the assassination of John F Kennedy purportedly narrated by former Trump adviser Roger Stone, and a podcast hosted by Miller called Blood Money. The LinkedIn account describes Miller as a partner in the network.
A Rumble page for an online interview show called Where Are The Men? features a man named Vem Miller, whose appearance matches images on these social media accounts, interviewing popular right-wing figures, including British MP Nigel Farage and Trump supporter and My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell.
Is Vem Miller a Republican?
Miller has been described as a Republican by law enforcement, and public records viewed by The Independent suggest a 49-year-old Vem Miller from Las Vegas is registered with the GOP.
Sheriff Bianco said it didn’t matter what party Miller belonged to.
“I couldn’t care less what political party he belongs to,” the Riverside Sheriff said on Sunday, describing Miller as a “lunatic” who held “fringe” anti-government views. He said that as far as he was concerned, the man arrested was a suspected would-be assassin.
A Nevada man named Vem Miller ran for state assembly in Nevada’s District 13 as a Republican in 2022, according to the Nevada Secretary of State’s office.
According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, this Vem Miller was concerned with purported issues of voter fraud and was involved in an ongoing lawsuit claiming he and others had not been allowed to observe vote-counting. The paper also said he was in favor of solar energy projects and wanted to bring more electric car manufacturing to Nevada. He did not win the election.