Man arrested outside Donald Trump election rally in California over fears of third assassination attempt

The suspect, who was named as Vem Miller, was stopped at a security checkpoint near to the rally site in his black SUV. Officers found two firearms and a “high-capacity magazine” in the vehicle, with the 49-year-old arrested “without incident” and booked on possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine.

Trump was previously shot at during an incident at a rally in Pennsylvania in July, which killed one person in the crowd, as well as being rushed to safety after an alleged second assassination attempt on his West Palm Beach golf course in Florida last month. The US Secret Service said that the Republican presidential candidate “was not in any danger” in the latest incident, with a local Riverside Country Sheriff calling Miller a “lunatic”.

Sheriff Chad Bianco said that he “truly believed” that his officers had prevented a third attempt on the former president’s life after taking Miller into custody. However, he added that it may be impossible to prove what the suspect’s intent was, with Miller also found with multiple passports and driving licences with different names and telling officers that he was a member of the far-right group ‘Sovereign Citizens’.

Miller was later released on a $5,000 bail. No federal charged have been filed against the suspect.

In a joint statement from federal authorities, the Secret Service, FBI and US Attorney’s Office said: “The US Secret Service assesses that the incident did not impact protective operations and former President Trump was not in any danger. While no federal arrest has been made at this time, the investigation is ongoing. The US Attorney’s Office, US Secret Service, and FBI extend their gratitude to the deputies and local partners who helped ensure the safety of last night’s events.”