ABC backtracks on Kimmel suspension days after a radical suspect shoots up an affiliate station

Disney temporarily suspended the poorly performing "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" show from its ABC television network on Sept. 17 after the show's eponymous host suggested that the homosexual leftist arrested for allegedly assassinating Charlie Kirk is a Trump supporter and a member of the MAGA movement — an assertion that has no factual basis.

In the wake of the suspension, ABC and two key owners of the network's affiliate stations — Sinclair and Nexstar, the latter of which was first to say it would pull the show — faced significant backlash from a motley crew of Democrat lawmakers, leftist activists, and Hollywood script-readers.

'They're next.'

Just days into the left's temper tantrum over the programming change, a radical allegedly launched an attack on an ABC affiliate station.

On Friday, someone opened fire on the Tegna-owned KXTV/ABC 10 television station in Sacramento while it was occupied. According to the amended criminal complaint, three apparent bullet holes were discovered in a north window of the station's lobby, and crime scene investigators later recovered a spent projectile from a doorway inside the building.

Tegna said in a statement obtained by KCRA-TV, "We can confirm that shots were fired into our station at KXTV earlier today. While details are still limited, importantly all of our employees are safe and unharmed."

The Sacramento Police Department arrested Anibal Hernandez Santana shortly after the attack and charged him with assault with a firearm, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, and willful discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner. Police cut him loose on bail the following day.

RELATED: 'Rest in peace, wheezy': Jimmy Kimmel's legacy of late-night demonization and hatred

Photo by David Russell/Disney via Getty Images

Detectives with the Sacramento Police Department subsequently searched Santana's vehicle and discovered a handwritten note that allegedly read, "For hiding Epstein & ignoring red flags. Do not support Patel, Bongino, & AG Pam Bondie [sic]. They're next. – C.K. from above," said the complaint.

Just hours after his release on Saturday, the FBI arrested Santana and slapped him with federal charges..

The apparent critic of the Trump administration faces three counts: possession of a firearm within a school zone, discharge of a firearm within a school zone, and interference with a radio communication station.

If convicted on the federal counts, Santana, presently being held on a federal hold at the Sacramento County Main Jail, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the charge of discharging a firearm within a school zone. He also faces up to a year in prison and a $10,000 fine for the charge of interfering with a radio communication station.

Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho reportedly indicated that the evidence suggests the shooting was a politically motivated crime but did not say whether prosecutors believe the suspect targeted the ABC affiliate over Kimmel's suspension.

An X account that allegedly belongs to Santana is replete with liberal memes and anti-Trump commentary.

On Sept. 18, the X user Al Hernandez Santana wrote, "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."

'He's an unrepentant liar, and affiliates have every right to demand accountability.'

A week earlier, the X user wrote, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Charlie Kirk and his family. May the prudence of his cost-benefit analysis for 2A rights vs. school shootings live on forever."

"The authoritarian oligarchy is now complete. CBS+ caving, big law firms in DC, the subservients FBI and AG, university presidents stepping down, fan boys SCOTUS, public radio, ICE goons. We are going to have to 'fight like hell'. Rules don't apply if election was stolen. FIGHT," the user tweeted in July.

Blaze News has reached out to Disney, Nexstar, and Sinclair for comment regarding whether threats have played a role in recent programming decisions. Blaze News has also reached out to the FBI for comment.

The day of the Sacramento shooting, Sinclair announced that it would "continue to air ABC network programming as scheduled in the late-night time period."

While Sinclair initially planned to run a Charlie Kirk special in Kimmel's time slot on Friday, the company opted instead to run the special on "The National News Desk" YouTube channel.

Despite wavering on the Kirk special, Sinclair announced on Monday evening that it "will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming."

Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of "The Charlie Kirk Show," lauded Sinclair for blocking Kimmel's show and noted that "Kimmel has yet to apologize for saying the assassin was MAGA, and he was reportedly going to double down. He's an unrepentant liar, and affiliates have every right to demand accountability."

It's presently unclear whether Nexstar — set to acquire Tegna, which owns the shot-up affiliate ABC station — will similarly keep Kimmel off the air.

Disney, which owns ABC, announced just days after a suspect shot up the affiliate station that it was bringing Kimmel's show back.

"Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country," read the statement from Disney.

"It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive," the company added. "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."

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