The gunman accused of firing multiple shots at an ABC station in California left a handwritten note revealing he intended to target other members of President Donald Trump’s administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
The suspect, 64-year-old Anibal Hernandez-Santana, was arrested by the FBI on Saturday, following a drive-by shooting at ABC 10 in Sacramento the previous day. He had initially been taken into custody by local police and charged with multiple offenses, including assault with a deadly weapon, but was re-arrested by federal agents just hours after posting $200,000 bail.
According to Justice Department officials, investigators discovered a note in Hernandez-Santana’s car. The note reportedly read:
“For hiding Epstein & ignoring red flags. Do not support Patel, Bongino, & AG Pam Bondi. They’re next. — C.K. from above.”
Variety reported that Hernandez-Santana’s X account featured a continuous stream of anti-Trump commentary.
He posted last week: “Where is a good heart attack when we need it the most?? Please join in my thoughts and prayers for the physical demise of our fearful leader.”
Variety also highlighted posts from July in which Hernandez-Santana declared he was ready to “fight like hell” against the Trump administration.
His attorney, Mark Reichel, told Sacramento’s KCRA 3 that his client faces heightened scrutiny because of these anti-Trump statements.
“If you look at his social media, they’re going to say, ‘Boy, it sure shows that he’s liberal and left wing.’ So you think they’re going to overlook something like that? I don’t think so,” Reichel said.
After being released on bail by local authorities, Hernandez-Santana was quickly re-arrested by the FBI on federal charges, where he remains in custody. Patel noted on X that the suspect was taken into custody “under a federal hold for interference with licensed broadcasts.”
“Targeted acts of violence are unacceptable and will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law,” Patel wrote.
The shooting occurred in the early hours of September 19, a day after roughly 15 people gathered outside ABC 10 to protest Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension, according to the Sacramento Bee. Kimmel had been suspended after suggesting that the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk was a Trump supporter.
“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,” Kimmel said.
However, reports identified the suspected shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, as having leftist ties. Robinson was reportedly in a relationship with a transgender roommate, had used phrases linked to Antifa, and in released text messages, claimed he shot Kirk because of the conservative activist’s “hatred.”
Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, shared her harrowing experience seeing her husband’s body in the hospital. She revealed a “secret” she had kept from him her entire life.
“His eyes were semi-open and he had this knowing, Mona Lisa-like half-smile. Like he’d died happy. Like Jesus rescued him. The bullet came, he blinked, and he was in heaven,” Erika told The New York Times.
During her husband’s memorial service in Glendale, Arizona, she shared the secret with the audience.
“But there was something else. Even in death, I could see the man that I love. I saw the one, single gray hair on the side of his head, which I never told him about. Now he knows. Sorry, baby, I’m telling you now,” she said.
“I also saw on his lips the faintest smile. And that told me something important. It revealed a great mercy from God in this tragedy. When I saw that, it told me Charlie didn’t suffer. Even the doctor confirmed — it was so instant,” Erika added.