A woman accused of twice shooting up a Bakersfield newsroom was arrested with a loaded gun while driving back to the television station days later, police said.
Thomashana Renee Zeigler, 46, was pulled over during a traffic stop on her way to the KBAK/KBFX news station on Thursday night, according to the Bakersfield Police Department.
Search warrants resulted in additional guns and the discovery of more alleged threats to the station, cops said.
Cops said they found a loaded .40 caliber gun and additional loaded magazine inside of Zeigler’s car.
She was taken into custody and booked at the Kern County Jail.
The arrest came as part of an investigation into two separate shootings at the station on October 9 and October 13, after a person fired several shots into the newsroom.
Surveillance video from one of the shootings showed a black vehicle pulling up to the station before several muzzle flashes are seen from the driver’s side window.
Police said 10 shots were fired into a conference room and an office before additional gunfire pierced the station days later.
Several people were in the newsroom at the time, but no one was injured.
After the second shooting, cops said they found nearly a dozen .40-caliber shell casings and multiple bullet holes on the building.
Surveillance footage collected from nearby businesses and city surveillance cameras, along with images from automated license plate readers (ALPR), have been credited by cops in helping identify the suspect.
“The coordinated efforts of the Robbery/Homicide Unit, RTIC, VCAT, and SEU, combined with the effective use of investigative technology, were instrumental in identifying and apprehending the suspect,” police said in a news release.
“The coordinated investigative and enforcement efforts resulted in Zeigler’s apprehension and prevented a potential additional shooting,” police said.
A statement from the news station’s owner, Sinclair Inc., said the company was “deeply relieved that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the incidents at our KBAK/KBFX studios,” according to ABC News 4.
“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.”
Zeigler is facing multiple charges, including carrying a loaded firearm and shooting at a building that had people inside.
Her bail has been set at $220,000. She is due back in court on October 20.
