By Steve Neavling
A Sacramento man accused of opening fire on an ABC affiliate’s office left handwritten notes critical of the Trump administration and a reminder on his refrigerator that read, “Do the Next Scary Thing,” federal prosecutors said.
Anibal Hernandez Santana, 64, was arrested after allegedly firing four shots toward and into the ABC10 station near downtown Sacramento on Sept. 19, USA Today reports. No one was injured, though an employee was in the lobby at the time, according to court documents.
Federal prosecutors charged Hernandez Santana with possessing and discharging a firearm within a school zone and interfering with a radio communication station. He was initially released on bail after local charges but was rearrested by the FBI.
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office said it will also pursue state charges that could carry up to 17 years in prison.
“When someone brazenly fires into a news station full of people in the middle of the day, it is not only an attack on innocent employees but also an attack on the news media and our community’s sense of safety,” District Attorney Thien Ho said. “My office will prosecute this case to ensure full accountability and send a clear message: violence, intimidation, and attacks on a free press have no place in our community or society at large.”
Court filings say investigators found the “Do the Next Scary Thing” note in Hernandez Santana’s home and another note in his vehicle that read, “For hiding Epstein & ignoring red flags,” naming FBI Director Kash Patel, Deputy Director Dan Bongino, and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
