Five people were injured and one person was arrested after what officials are calling an intentional explosion at a southern California courthouse Wednesday morning, USA Today reports. Multiple agencies, including the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, responded to a report of an explosion at the Santa Maria Courthouse in Santa Maria, 60 miles north of Santa Barbara, according to an X post. Raquel Zick, a Sheriff's Office spokesperson, said the blast was from an intentionally set improvised explosive device." The initial report said a single individual entered the facility and threw a bag at the screening station. That bag exploded, said Craig Bonner, Santa Barbara Undersheriff. The suspect, Nathaniel McGuire, was detained while he attempted to leave the area in his car. McGuire, 20, was wearing body armor when he was taken into custody. Detectives learned that McGuire's motivation appeared to have stemmed from a recent arrest by the sheriff for firearms violations, Bonner said.
Three people taken to the hospital suffered non-threatening injuries including burns. Deputies seized a loaded concealed revolver from McGuire's pants pocket that was not registered to him. McGuire's arraignment was set to take place on Wednesday morning at the courthouse. The sheriff's office is working with Santa Barbara County Fire investigate whether or not McGuire was involved in other reported fires in the area. McGuire was booked into jail and faces multiple felony charges. "Although this is an ongoing investigation and we are exploring all possible angles, at this point in time we do believe that this to be a local incident committed by a local individual with a local grievance stemming from his arrest," Bonner said.
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