Flock cameras helped Bakersfield police ID suspect in TV station shootings
Police say the city’s license plate reader network helped identify a suspect in two October shootings at the KBAK/KBFX studios. Officers arrested a 46-year-old woman after a traffic stop and recovered a loaded handgun.
Flock cameras helped Bakersfield police ID suspect in TV station shootings
Key Takeaways
- Bakersfield Police say city Flock camera data helped identify a suspect in Oct. 9 and Oct. 13 station shootings.
- Officers arrested 46-year-old Thomashana Renee Zeigler on Oct. 15 and found a loaded .40-caliber handgun.
- BPD operates about 130 Flock cameras, with data kept up to 30 days.
- No injuries were reported, and police later recovered additional firearms with search warrants.
What police say happened
Eleven .40-caliber shell casings, three employees still inside, and fresh damage to the front glass on Oct. 13. That was the scene outside the KBAK/KBFX studios after the second shooting in five days, according to the Bakersfield Police Department. No injuries.
Detectives from the Robbery and Homicide Unit, working with the department’s Real-Time Information Center, pulled footage and records from city-owned cameras and automated license plate readers. Investigators say the ALPR hits tied the same vehicle to both incidents. The department says those leads helped them identify 46-year-old Thomashana Renee Zeigler of Bakersfield.
On Oct. 15 at about 11:35 p.m., officers with BPD’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team and Special Enforcement Unit stopped Zeigler as she was driving toward the station. Police say they found a loaded .40-caliber handgun and an extra loaded magazine in the vehicle, took her into custody without incident, then recovered more guns during later search warrants.
A half-empty Styrofoam cup of coffee sat on the back table at Friday’s briefing.
How the Flock system factored in
The department has been citing Flock Safety camera hits more often in recent releases, and officials say this case was no different. The network, which police describe as an automated license plate recognition system tied to fixed cameras around the city, provided data that helped narrow the search to a specific car seen near both shootings.
Bakersfield Police previously told Eyewitness News they have about 130 Flock cameras deployed citywide. In past statements, the department has said data is retained for up to 30 days and can be shared with other California agencies. A security consultant interviewed by the station added that Flock’s software can flag vehicle traits beyond plate numbers, like a broken windshield or a bumper sticker, which can speed searches.
Charges and status of the case
Police booked Zeigler into Kern County Jail on counts that include shooting at an occupied building and carrying a loaded firearm. In a written statement, the department said the coordinated work of its units and the use of investigative technology were instrumental, and that the arrest likely prevented another attack near the Westwind Drive newsroom. The investigation is still open, and anyone with information is asked to call BPD.
"We are deeply relieved that a suspect has been arrested," Sinclair spokesperson Jessica Bellucci said in a statement after the stop. "We are thankful that no one was injured and grateful to the Bakersfield Police Department for its tireless efforts."
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