Accused ABC10 shooter Anibal Hernandez Santana faces new felony shooting charge in state case
The man accused of shooting into the lobby of the ABC10 news station in Sacramento is facing a new felony criminal charge in connection with one of two cases against him.The Sacramento County district attorney is charging Anibal Hernandez Santana with an additional count of firing into an unoccupied building. Details on when the alleged shooting happened were not immediately available. (Previous coverage in video above: Accused ABC10 shooter Anibal Hernandez Santana pleads not guilty to federal charges.)Hernandez Santana is set to appear in Sacramento County Superior Court on Nov. 20 for arraignment on that charge, along with another count of shooting at an inhabited building, assault with a semi-automatic firearm and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. Prosecutors have alleged that Hernandez Santana opened fire into the lobby of the ABC10 station in Sacramento on Sept. 19. No one was hurt despite the building being occupied. Federal Prosecutors have also accused him of firing another shot in the air in a nearby parking lot that day. Hernandez Santana initially posted bail in the state case before being taken into custody on federal charges within hours of his release. His arraignment in state court has been on hold since he was also charged in the federal case. Hernandez Santana has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that include knowingly possessing and discharging a firearm within a school zone and interference with a radio communication station.The TV station shooting happened two days after late-night host Jimmy Kimmel was abruptly — but temporarily — pulled off the air over comments he made related to the late activist Charlie Kirk.After Hernandez Santana's arrest, federal court documents revealed that officers with the Sacramento Police Department found a note that read, “For hiding Epstein & ignoring red flags. Do not support Patel, Bongino, & AG Pam Bondie. They’re next. – C.K. from above.”Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho told KCRA 3 that he believed the shooting was politically motivated, explaining that "C.K. from above" referred to Kirk. Ho also stated that part of the motivation was "to attack a free press, a free media."Hernandez Santana’s defense has argued that the 64-year-old California lawyer, Army veteran and retired lobbyist had no prior criminal charges and should be released on bail. The defense alleged Hernandez Santana was being made an example of by federal prosecutors because his "political career and political alignment place him squarely in the category of the perceived 'enemies' of The Trump Administration."See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
