California man accused blowing up courthouse on his court date
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - A man is accused of throwing an explosive device at the Santa Maria Courthouse just before his own court appearance.
The suspect, 20-year-old Nathaniel McGuire, allegedly threw a bag at the courthouse's screening station about 15 minutes before his scheduled 9 a.m. hearing on Wednesday, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. The court house is located about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
McGuire has since been detained since the incident. His original Sept. 25 court hearing was related to a July 2020 arrest over firearm violation charges.
The explosion left five people hurt.
Darrel Parker, court executive officer in Santa Barbara County, said the explosion occurred in the first-floor lobby of the criminal court building, which serves as the entryway and weapons screening point for the broader court campus, the Associated Press reports.
"I am not certain that the suspect made it past weapons screening," Parker said.
The Sata Barbara County Sheriff's Office is also investigating if McGuire has been connected to other arson fires in the area.
No other suspects were wanted by deputies as of Wednesday evening.
"The bomb team is processing the scene and the suspect is still being interviewed," the sheriff's office said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The sheriff’s department initially said two people sustained non-life-threatening injuries, but Sandy Doucette, a spokesperson for Marian Regional Medical Center, said the hospital was treating five patients in connection with the explosion. Two were in good condition and three in fair condition, the Associated Press reports.
The office of Gov. Gavin Newsom said it was monitoring the situation and coordinating with local law enforcement.
Following the explosion, neighboring counties had stepped up patrols at courthouses, including in Los Angeles County, the sheriff's department said.
The court is expected to resume normal operations on Thursday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.