From the Daily Caller News Foundation 

By Hailey Gomez

Bianco stated that Riverside officers “probably did” prevent a third assassination attempt, the Secret Service Chief of Communications posted a joint statement with the FBI noting that the investigation is ongoing but that the former president “was not in any danger.”

Authorities arrested a Las Vegas resident Saturday at a checkpoint for former President Donald Trump’s rally in Coachella, California for allegedly possessing multiple illegal firearms, according to a press release.

Since the first assassination attempt against Trump on July 13 and the arrest of a second potential assassin on Sept. 15, the former president’s safety has been a top concern for lawmakers and the campaign. Riverside County Sheriff issued a statement announcing the arrest of 49-year-old Vem Miller who was found to be “illegally in possession of a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and a high-capacity magazine.”

Officials said Miller was arrested at 4:59 p.m. by deputies assigned to the rally at a checkpoint at Avenue 52 and Celebration Drive. Miller, driving a black SUV, was booked for “a loaded firearm” and “a high-capacity magazine,” according to the press release.

“This incident did not impact the safety of former President Trump or attendees of the event,” officials added.

Miller was confirmed to be released on $5,000 bail the same day and is scheduled to appear in court on January 2, 2025, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department inmate database.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco held a press conference Sunday afternoon, stating Miller first approached the outer perimeter and gave “all indications that he belonged there, that he was a participant who was allowed to enter into VIP in the press corps.” However, as Miller progressed, officials discovered the 49-year-old was driving an unregistered vehicle with a homemade license plate “indicative of a group of citizens that claim to be sovereign citizens,” along with multiple passports and driver’s licenses.

“The interior of the vehicle was in disarray. The vehicle had an obviously fake license plate, which prompted further investigation,” Bianco said. “During that investigation the deputy found multiple passports with multiple names, multiple driving license[s] with different names.”

While Bianco stated that Riverside officers “probably did” prevent a third assassination attempt, the Secret Service Chief of Communications posted a joint statement with the FBI noting that the investigation is ongoing but that the former president “was not in any danger.”

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Secret Service, and FBI are aware of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office’s arrest on Saturday. The U.S. Secret Service assesses that the incident did not impact protective operations and former President Donald Trump was not in any danger,” the statement read.

“While no federal arrest has been made at this time, the investigation is ongoing. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Secret Service, and FBI extend their gratitude to the deputies and local partners who helped ensure the safety of last night’s events,” the statement concluded.

In mid-September, Florida officials arrested 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh after a Secret Service agent spotted him in the bushes at Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach while the former president was playing the course. After firing shots at Routh, the 58-year-old fled, leaving behind an “AK-47 style rifle with a scope,” two backpacks, a GoPro and ceramic body armor plates, officials confirmed.

Routh was formally charged on Sept. 24 by federal prosecutors with attempting to assassinate a major political candidate, knowingly possessing a firearm and ammunition despite a previous conviction, possession of a firearm that had “the importer’s and manufacturer’s serial number removed, obliterated and altered,” and forcibly assaulting and interfering with a Secret Service special agent, according to court documents.

The arrest of Routh came after the July 13 assassination attempt against the former president by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who fired multiple rounds into Trump’s Butler, Pennsylvania, rally. The attack killed former volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore, injured two supporters and injured Trump’s ear as well.

After his release, Miller reportedly denied the allegations, telling the Southern California News Group how he was “shocked” to have been arrested, noting he is a supporter of the former president, according to Fox News. Miller additionally claims that he was never told the reason behind his apprehension initially, and was allegedly only able to call a lawyer eight hours after his arrest, the outlet reported.

“These accusations are complete bullshit,” Miller said, according to Fox News. “I’m an artist, I’m the last person that would cause any violence and harm to anybody.”

Trump Campaign’s Communications Director Steven Cheung confirmed Sunday that the team was “monitoring the situation and gathering more information,” thanking law enforcement for their involvement.

“We thank law enforcement for securing the rally site and helping ensure the safety of President Trump. We are aware of news reports about the arrest and are currently monitoring the situation and gathering more information,” Cheung wrote.

From the Daily Caller News Foundation 

By Hailey Gomez

Republican Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance appeared shocked Sunday on ABC News when co-host Martha Raddatz interrupted him mid-statement and attempted to downplay Venezuelan gangs’ takeover of Colorado apartment complexes.

The Tren de Aragua gang made U.S. headlines in September after officials confirmed ten members were involved in an investigation into a string of alleged criminal incidents at an Aurora, Colorado apartment complex, according to FOX 31. On ABC’s “This Week,” Raddatz pressed Vance on former President Donald Trump’s response, noting Trump claimed the city had been “invaded and conquered” by migrants, while the mayor called the statement “grossly exaggerated.”

“Well, Martha, you just said the mayor said they were exaggerated. That means that there’s gotta be some element of truth here,” Vance began. “Of course, President Trump was actually in Aurora, Colorado talking to people on the ground, and what we’re hearing is people are terrified by what has happened with some of these Venezuelan gangs — ”

“Senator Vance, I’m going to stop you because I know exactly what happened. I’m going to stop you. The incidents were limited to a handful of apartment complexes and the mayor said, ‘Our dedicated police officers have acted on those concerns.’ A handful of problems,” Raddatz said.

Vance pushed back on Raddatz, questioning her issue with Trump and her refusal to acknowledge that U.S. apartment complexes are “being taken over by violent gangs.”

“Only, Martha? Do you hear yourself? Only a handful of apartment complexes were taken over by Venezuelan gangs, and Donald Trump is the problem, not Kamala Harris’ open border? Americans are so fed up with what’s going on, and they have every right to be,” Vance responded. “I really find this exchange, Martha, sort of interesting because you seem to be more focused with nitpicking everything that Donald Trump has said, rather than acknowledging that apartment complexes in the United States of America are being taken over by violent gangs.”

WATCH:

“I worry so much more about that problem than anything else here. We’ve got to get American communities in a safe space again, and unfortunately, when you let people in by the millions — most of whom are unvetted, most of whom you don’t know who they really are — you’re going to have problems like this,” Vance added. “Kamala Harris — 94 executive orders that undid Donald Trump’s successful border policies, we knew this stuff would happen. They bragged about opening the border, and now we have the consequences and we’re living with it. We can do so much better, but frankly we’re not going to do better, Martha, unless Donald Trump calls this stuff out.”

The Venezuelan gang, which reportedly began as a prison gang in 2014 in the northern Venezuelan state of Aragua, has rapidly grown into one of the country’s largest criminal organizations. In mid-September, the Aurora Police Department confirmed that ten gang members in the area had been living in the city “and committing acts of violence against members of the migrant community,” according to FOX 31.

In response, property management company CBZ Management allegedly shut down three locations in the city — Edge at Lowry, Fitzsimons Place, and Whispering Pines — due to being “taken over” by the gang, according to the Denver Post. Charges against the arrested group include felony menacing, assault, motor vehicle theft and numerous shootings.

While speaking at a rally in Aurora on Friday, Trump addressed the ongoing migrant issue with supporters, reflecting on how the gang has been “taking over” the city.

“I will rescue Aurora and every town that has been invaded and conquered,” Trump stated.

However, Republican Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman released a statement a day earlier, claiming the “reality” is that concerns over gang activity in the city and state have been “grossly exaggerated and have unfairly hurt the city’s identity and sense of safety.”

Featured Image: Screenshot/ABC News/”This Week”