Local police arrested an armed man outside a Donald Trump rally in California on Saturday, for the third time despite local sheriffs letting the suspect walk on a small bond on firearms charges. asserted that the assassination attempt had been thwarted.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told reporters Sunday, a day after suspect Bem Miller was arrested at a checkpoint outside Mr. Trump’s rally in the Coachella Valley, “I am truly grateful that we were able to thwart another assassination attempt.” I believe that.”
Miller was arrested at a police checkpoint on suspicion of attempting to attend the rally with a fake press pass, but when police realized his car was unregistered, they searched it and found a fake passport and driver’s license. They discovered a cache of guns, a shotgun, and a loaded handgun. Officials said there are also large-capacity magazines.
He was quickly arrested on weapons charges and released on $5,000 bail, but the sheriff turned around and told the Riverside Press-Enterprise that his department nearly saved Trump’s life.
But federal agencies don’t seem to agree.
The Secret Service believes it is unlikely that Miller plotted to assassinate the president, and the FBI is not conducting such an investigation, sources told the Post. It is believed that he was a member of a far-right group and was likely in possession of an assassination weapon. Personal defense only.
After the FBI attempted to interview him, he reportedly requested a lawyer and briefly told reporters that he was a “completely bullish assassin.” .
But the sheriff stood by his initial assessment of Miller in a press conference Sunday, calling him a “lunatic” and suggesting the state may also be to blame for suggesting he was “dramatic.” .
“All we can do is speculate as to what his state of mind was,” Bianco said. “If you ask me now, there was probably an agent who thwarted the third assassination attempt.
“If we’re that politically lost, if we’ve lost sight of common sense and reality and reason, we have to say, ‘Oh my God, why did he show up with all that? ” …and be accused of being dramatic? There are serious problems in this country. Because that is common sense and reason. ”
Bianco said any charges related to the assassination attempt will be handled by federal authorities, not his office, and that he is cooperating with both the Secret Service and FBI.
Officials say Mr. Miller has a long history of petty run-ins with the law and appears to be a member of the Sovereign People’s Movement, a far-right movement built on conspiracy theories that believe the government has no authority. It is said that
The FBI calls the group “anti-government extremists” who, although “physically resident in this country,” are “independent or ‘sovereign’ from the United States.” claims.
In addition to attempting to bypass taxes and the court system, the FBI notes that the sovereign people are particularly opposed to traffic stops, and in 2023, a 25-year-old armed during a Utah traffic stop was arrested. One member refused to comply and was shot. .
Miller is a registered Republican, holds a master’s degree from UCLA, and is running for the Nevada State Assembly in 2022, the Press-Enterprise reported.
He also appears to own a California-based CBD company and has espoused conspiracy theories and violently misogynistic rhetoric online.
Reports of the assassination attempt come after a tense summer in which two gunmen were narrowly arrested in an attempt to kill the former president.
In July, 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on the former president during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Trump was shot in the ear and almost died. One bystander was killed and two rally participants were injured. Mr. Crooks was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper shortly after firing.
Just over two months later, a would-be gunman hiding in the bushes at President Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club was arrested with an assault rifle — while the former president was next door just 300 yards away. I was playing golf on the hole.
The suspect, Ryan Routh, was discovered at the last moment when Secret Service agents patrolling the presidential next hole spotted the barrel of a weapon sticking out of the bushes. Officers fired shots, but the suspect fled, and Routh was later arrested while fleeing on the highway.
Federal prosecutors say he remained unnoticed in the bushes for about 12 hours, waiting for the opportunity to kill President Trump.
