Shots Fired At ABC Affiliate By Suspected Leftist After Network Pulls Jimmy Kimmel
A man with a documented history of anti-Trump rhetoric has been arrested after allegedly opening fire on the offices of an ABC News affiliate in Sacramento, just days after the network suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for spreading misinformation about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
The Suspect: A Left-Wing Political Operative
Authorities identified the suspect as 64-year-old Anibal Hernandez-Santana. He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon, negligent discharge of a firearm, and shooting into an occupied building after allegedly firing three rounds into the station’s window.
According to Variety, Hernandez-Santana is a former legislative director for the California Federation of Teachers and maintained a social media presence filled with inflammatory, far-left commentary. In a July post, he reportedly wrote:
“The authoritarian oligarchy is now complete. CBS+ caving, big law firms in DC, the subservients FBI and AG, university presidents stepping down, fan boys SCOTUS, public radio, ICE goons. We are going to have to ‘fight like hell’… Rules don’t apply if election was stolen. FIGHT!”
Conservative commentators quickly flagged the content, with one popular account noting:
“The man suspected of firing 3 shots into the window of an ABC affiliate in California after the Kimmel decision is a former teacher’s union legislative director whose X feed is full of far-left rhetoric encouraging escalation.”
The man suspected of firing 3 shots into the window of an ABC affiliate in California after the Kimmel decision is a former teacher’s union legislative director whose X feed is full of far-left rhetoric encouraging escalation. pic.twitter.com/rxwVi7cg4u
— AG (@AGHamilton29) September 20, 2025
KCRA showed footage of the damage from the bullets, as shown in the video, below:
NEW: The man who shot up the ABC affiliate in Sacramento following the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, has been identified as Anibal Hernandez-Santana.
An X account that appears to belong to Hernandez-Santana is full of anti-Trump posts, as reported by Variety.
The man, 64,… pic.twitter.com/4fZmyLZCkR
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 20, 2025
The Catalyst: Kimmel’s Kirk Comments
The shooting came after ABC pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live” indefinitely in the wake of national outrage over Kimmel’s on-air remarks about the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
During his final broadcast before suspension, Kimmel made false claims about the killer’s motives, stating:
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
Kimmel’s comments sparked fierce backlash, including from dozens of ABC affiliate station owners and conservative lawmakers. The network ultimately decided to pull his show, citing the need to “cool tensions.”
Network Reaction and Fallout
Andrew Alford, President of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, said in a public statement:
“Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located.”
“Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time.”
The shooting incident has further intensified the already heated national conversation about media responsibility, political violence, and the dangers of inflammatory rhetoric.
As of Saturday afternoon, no injuries were reported from the shooting, but the investigation remains ongoing. Federal and state authorities are reviewing the suspect’s political affiliations and online activity for potential motives.