Gunfire struck a lobby window of an ABC affiliate office in California, as confirmed by authorities on Friday. Police swiftly responded to the incident at the ABC10 building in Sacramento after a passing vehicle fired shots and fled the scene around 1:30 pm. Although the exact number of shots remains unknown, police spokesperson Anthony Gamble stated that at least three rounds hit the building. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the motive behind the shooting remains unclear, with no details on the perpetrators provided by officials.
Video footage from the location showed that the window bore at least three bullet holes. The shooting incident occurred following a protest outside the station against ABC’s suspension of veteran comedian and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s show. Kimmel’s program was suspended after his comments about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, prompting a group of ABC-affiliated stations to announce they would not air the show due to the remarks made post the killing.
President Donald Trump expressed support for Kimmel’s suspension, attributing it to the host’s low ratings and lack of talent. Various Hollywood personalities, such as Ben Stiller and Jean Smart, voiced their opinions on Kimmel’s suspension, with Stiller criticizing the move and Smart defending Kimmel’s remarks as free speech. The suspension of Kimmel’s show is seen as part of the ongoing disputes between Trump’s administration and the media, further fueled by settlements with major networks like CBS and ABC.
ABC’s decision to suspend Kimmel came after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr condemned Kimmel’s remarks as disturbing. Sinclair, the broadcasting company that comprises the largest group of ABC affiliates in the US, has set conditions for the return of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to its network, including a public apology and a significant donation to Charlie Kirk’s non-profit organization as reported by People magazine.