Staff at Local 12 Cincinnati were stunned this week to discover that a wily raccoon in the newsroom had been secretly cohabitating with them to escape the freezing winter temperatures. For days, employees on the overnight shift suspected they weren't alone, hearing strange noises and noticing things out of place. The mystery was finally solved when a station engineer caught the furry intruder—affectionately dubbed a "trash panda"—red-handed, rummaging through a trash can during the graveyard shift.
The Mystery of the Secret Squatter
Before the funny raccoon viral video hit social media, the situation at the WKRC-TV studios was more of a mystery thriller than a comedy. Chief Meteorologist John Gumm revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that the team had "suspected someone had broken into @Local12 and had been secretly living inside the station." The suspicion wasn't unfounded; with the brutal cold snap gripping Cincinnati, it was plausible that a person might seek refuge in the heated building.
The tension broke late Monday night when the "intruder" was finally identified. It wasn't a human squatter, but a resourceful raccoon that had managed to slip inside the building. The discovery turned anxiety into amusement, as the station realized their "secret roommate" was just a local wildlife resident looking for a warm place to crash.
Caught on Camera: The Trash Can Caper
The defining moment came when Local 12 engineer Noah Schuler spotted the animal during the overnight shift. He pulled out his phone and recorded the hilarious encounter that has since become a funny animal news 2026 highlight. The video shows the raccoon balancing precariously on the rim of a newsroom trash can, diving headfirst into the garbage in search of late-night snacks.
In the clip, the bandit-masked critter is seen digging with determination, nearly toppling the bin over in its quest for food. When it realizes it's being watched, it freezes before darting away toward the dark corners of the studio. The footage quickly circulated among staff before making its way online, where viewers instantly fell in love with the station's uninvited guest.
Social Media Reacts to the 'New Hire'
The internet wasted no time in welcoming the Local 12 Cincinnati raccoon to the team. Anchors and reporters leaned into the joke, with morning anchor Meghan Mongillo quipping on Facebook that the station officially had a "new employee helping us put the show on the air." Viewers flooded the comments section, asking if the raccoon had received its employee badge yet or if it was just an intern working for leftovers.
Why Raccoons Seek Shelter in Newsrooms
While a newsroom animal intruder makes for great headlines, the biology behind the break-in is simple. Raccoons are highly adaptable urban survivors. When temperatures in Ohio plummeted earlier this week, natural dens likely became insufficient, driving this clever animal to find a man-made alternative. The heat generated by television equipment and the constant supply of breakroom trash likely made the Local 12 studio an irresistible 5-star hotel for the critter.
The Ultimate Graveyard Shift Mascot
For now, the story of the John Gumm raccoon incident serves as a lighthearted break from serious news. The trash panda news station saga has given locals a reason to smile during a dreary winter week. While animal control was contacted to safely relocate the furry reporter back to the wild, he has permanently secured his spot as the unofficial mascot of the Local 12 overnight team.
