Man Charged in Shooting at California News Agency
On Monday, prosecutors revealed details about a man accused of shooting at a local news station in California. Anibal Hernandez Santana, it seems, had a critical note about the Trump administration in his car and something concerning in his refrigerator, hinting at potentially harmful intentions.
The updated criminal charges against Hernandez Santana, filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of California, involve federal offenses related to the incident.
The 63-year-old man allegedly fired one shot at the KXTV/ABC10 station in Sacramento last Friday. This station is part of Tegna Inc., which was recently involved in a $6.2 billion acquisition deal with Nexstar Media Group.
Fortunately, no one was hurt during the shooting, as employees were present in the lobby at the time.
Latter that evening, law enforcement arrested Hernandez Santana at his home. During a search, authorities discovered a whiteboard in his refrigerator that featured the previously mentioned quote scheduled for “Friday.”
After he posted bail and was briefly released on Saturday, authorities conducted a search of his vehicle, uncovering troubling statements connected to various political figures. Specifically, references were made to individuals including Kash Patel and Dan Bongino.
Interestingly, just hours after his release, the FBI took him back into custody. Reports from KXTV/ABC10 indicated that a local district attorney clarified the “CK” mentioned in the findings refers to conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The district attorney underscored the consequences of political violence, stating that such actions are not acceptable in Sacramento County. They emphasized a commitment to holding individuals accountable.
If convicted on federal charges—potentially for carrying a firearm in a school zone, among other counts—Hernandez Santana might face fines up to $260,000 and a prison sentence of up to six years.
Additionally, local prosecutors plan to file charges related to the shooting incident, including the use of a semi-automatic weapon. Should he face state charges, he could face a sentence of up to 17 years.
Mark Reichel, Hernandez Santana’s attorney, expressed that the simultaneous federal and state accusations are quite unusual. He noted that due to the circumstances, his team has yet to fully review the evidence, making it difficult to provide more clarity at this stage.
Reichel reaffirmed the principle of innocence, stating that Hernandez Santana is entitled to due process and will be considered innocent until proven otherwise.
