A man accused of shooting at an ABC affiliate’s office in northern California left handwritten notes that criticized the Trump administration and a calendar reminder to "Do the Next Scary Thing," prosecutors said on Sept. 22.

Anibal Hernandez Santana, 64, of Sacramento, California, was formally charged with possessing a firearm within a school zone, discharging a firearm within a school zone, and interfering with a radio communication station, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California. He made his first appearance in federal court on Sept. 22.

Prosecutors accused Hernandez Santana of firing multiple gunshots towards and into the ABC10 television station near downtown Sacramento, on Sept. 19. While an employee was inside the office at the time of the shooting, no one was injured during the incident, prosecutors said.

The suspect was initially arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, shooting into an occupied building, and negligent discharge of a firearm, according to the Sacramento Police Department. He was released on Sept. 20 after posting bail, but prosecutors said the FBI rearrested Hernandez Santana hours later.

The federal charges carry maximum penalties of up to six years in prison and a $260,000 fine, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The Sacramento District Attorney's Office confirmed to USA TODAY on Sept. 22 that it was filing state charges against Hernandez Santana, which carry a more serious penalty of up to 17 years in state 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," Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho said in a statement.

"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," Ho added.

Prosecutors: 'Do the Next Scary Thing' note found

The incident occurred at around 1 p.m. local time on Sept. 19, according to the Sacramento District Attorney's Office. Court documents said Hernandez Santana fired one gunshot towards the ABC10 station and three shots into the station.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Hernandez Santana fired the first shot "into the air in the direction of the station" while he was standing on the sidewalk around the block from the station. Prosecutors added that the first gunshot was within a school zone.

Hernandez Santana then drove to the front of the station and fired three shots into the building’s lobby, prosecutors said. At the time of the shooting, prosecutors said an ABC10 employee was inside the lobby but was not injured.

Following the incident, law enforcement traced the suspect to a residence that was later identified as belonging to Hernandez Santana, according to the Sacramento District Attorney's Office. Law enforcement then "executed a search for Hernandez Santana’s person, home, and vehicle," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

At Hernandez Santana’s home, authorities discovered a weekly planner attached to his refrigerator with a handwritten note that stated, "Do the Next Scary Thing," court documents said.

Authorities found another note in his vehicle that read, "For hiding Epstein & ignoring red flags," prosecutors said. The note also mentioned FBI Director Kash Patel, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, saying to not support them and that they were “next," according to court documents.

Mark Reichel, the suspect's defense attorney, did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on Sept. 22.

State prosecutors believe the suspect was politically motivated

Ho announced on Sept. 22 that his office was filing felony charges against Hernandez Santana, including discharging a firearm into an inhabited dwelling and assault with a semi-automatic firearm. He noted that his office will request that the suspect be held in custody without bail.

Online inmate records from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office showed that Hernandez Santana was being held at the Sacramento County Main Jail and was ineligible for bail. In an interview with ABC10 on Sept. 22, Ho called the suspect a threat to public safety.

The district attorney told the station that authorities believe "there was a political motive behind his actions," adding that law enforcement had found an "anti-Trump book" next to the handwritten note in Hernandez Santana's vehicle. Ho did not provide further details on why the suspect had specifically targeted the station and whether it was connected to ABC's decision to suspend "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

A day before the shooting, demonstrators protested outside the station to condemn Walt Disney-owned ABC's announcement that Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show would be "pre-empted indefinitely." The suspension followed outrage over comments the Emmy-winning comedian made about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a Sept. 15 episode.

On Sept. 17, Nexstar Media announced it would not air episodes of Kimmel's show across its ABC affiliate stations, and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr seemingly threatened the network, Disney, and Kimmel during commentator Benny Johnson's YouTube show, saying: "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

Network officials then announced on Sept. 22 that Kimmel's suspension would end on Sept. 23. "We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday," Disney said in a statement to USA TODAY.

Contributing: Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ABC station shooting suspect had note criticizing FBI and AG Bondi, prosecutors say

Reporting by Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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