A man has been arrested after he fired shots at a window of an ABC News affiliate in Sacramento, California. This incident occurred in response to the network’s decision to suspend late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The suspect, 64-year-old Anibal Hernandez-Santana, has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon, negligent discharge of a firearm, and shooting into an occupied building.
The shooting took place shortly after Kimmel made controversial comments regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative activist. Kimmel falsely claimed that the gunman responsible for Kirk’s death was part of a group he referred to as the "MAGA gang." Following the backlash over Kimmel’s remarks, ABC decided to pull his show indefinitely.
Hernandez-Santana is a former legislative director for the California Federation of Teachers. His social media activity has raised eyebrows, as it contains numerous posts with strong anti-Trump sentiments and calls for political escalation. In one post, he expressed frustration over what he described as an "authoritarian oligarchy" and urged his followers to "fight like hell."
Footage from the scene showed the damage caused by the gunfire, highlighting the seriousness of the incident. ABC’s decision to suspend Kimmel was made after criticism of his comments about Kirk’s assassination, which many found offensive and insensitive. Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, stated that Kimmel’s remarks did not reflect the views of the local communities and emphasized the need for respectful dialogue during a tense political climate.
As the investigation continues, the community is left to grapple with the implications of this violent response to political discourse.
