NEWSROOM UNDER FIRE IN CALIFORNIA: Gunman Targets Bakersfield TV Station Twice
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A gunman in a car has allegedly opened fire on a California news station not once, but twice in a matter of days. The first attack came Friday night, October 9, outside the KBAK/KBFX studio on Westwind Drive in Bakersfield, where security video shows a dark-colored car parked outside, muzzle flashes lighting up the night, and the vehicle driving away. Investigators say 10 shots slammed into a conference room and an office inside the building. Then on Tuesday morning, it happened again, with more shots hitting the studio and a similar dark vehicle spotted nearby. No one was hurt in either shooting, but the building was damaged, including a front-facing window, and people were at work inside during the second attack.
Sinclair, which runs the stations, said it was deeply concerned by the second shooting and added that, thankfully, no one was injured, while stressing that employee safety is its top priority. The company says it is cooperating fully with the Bakersfield Police Department, but so far there is no suspect and no arrest, and police have not said whether the station was specifically targeted. The shootings come after an earlier attack on Sacramento's ABC affiliate KXTV last year, which led to federal charges against a 65-year-old man. Anyone with information is asked to call Bakersfield police at (661) 327-7111. For a newsroom whose job is to cover the community, the biggest question now is who is behind the gunfire, and whether they will strike again.