Woman Arrested on Way Back to California News Station After Alleged Shootings
Thomashana Renee Zeigler, 46, was apprehended with a loaded gun and additional magazines.
A woman accused of twice shooting at a Bakersfield newsroom was arrested with a loaded gun as she was driving back to the television station, authorities said.
Thomashana Renee Zeigler, 46, was stopped by police during a traffic stop on Thursday night while en route to the KBAK/KBFX news station. Investigators discovered a loaded .40 caliber handgun and an extra loaded magazine in her vehicle. Search warrants also led to the discovery of additional firearms and alleged threats directed at the station.
Zeigler was taken into custody and booked at the Kern County Jail. She faces multiple charges, including carrying a loaded firearm and shooting at an occupied building. Her bail has been set at $220,000, and she is scheduled to appear in court again on October 20.
The arrest is part of an investigation into two separate shooting incidents at the KBAK/KBFX studios on October 9 and October 13. In both instances, shots were fired into the newsroom building. While several people were present during the shootings, no injuries were reported.
Surveillance footage from the incidents showed a vehicle approaching the station before muzzle flashes were observed coming from the driver's side window. Following the second shooting, investigators found approximately a dozen .40-caliber shell casings and multiple bullet impacts on the building.
Bakersfield police credited the use of surveillance footage from nearby businesses and city cameras, along with automated license plate reader data, in identifying Zeigler as the suspect. The department stated that the "coordinated investigative and enforcement efforts resulted in Zeigler’s apprehension and prevented a potential additional shooting."
Sinclair Inc., the owner of KBAK/KBFX, issued a statement expressing relief over the arrest and gratitude to the Bakersfield Police Department for their work. "We are thankful that no one was injured and grateful to the Bakersfield Police Department for its tireless efforts in investigating these incidents and bringing a suspect into custody,” the statement read.