BREAKING: Third possible Trump assassination attempt thwarted, CA sheriff says

A possible third assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump was reportedly thwarted near his rally in Coachella Valley, California Saturday. 13 Oct 2024

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said that 49-year-old Vem Miller of Las Vegas intended to kill Trump.

"We probably stopped another assassination attempt,'' Bianco told Southern California News Group. More details will be revealed at a press conference scheduled for 3 p.m.

According to the sheriff's department, Miller was driving a black SUV at a checkpoint at the intersection of Avenue 52 and Celebration Drive around 5 p.m. when he was contacted by deputies.

He was taken into custody for possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine. Authorities said Miller was also illegally in possession of a shotgun.

"This incident did not impact the safety of former President Trump or attendees of the event," officials said.

Trump took advantage of his Coachella visit to tear into the nation’s most populous state, bringing up its recent struggles with homelessness, water shortages and a lack of affordability.

"We’re not going to let Kamala Harris do to America what she did to California," Trump said, referring to the state as as "Paradise Lost."