A Santa Maria man wearing a bulletproof vest threw a bomb into the courthouse where he was to be arraigned on misdemeanor gun charges, authorities say

Detectives arrested Santa Maria resident Nathaniel McGuire, 20, Wednesday morning, Sept. 25, after he allegedly threw a backpack containing a bomb into the Santa Maria courthouse, causing an explosion that injured six people. McGuire was scheduled to appear in court that morning for an arraignment stemming from his July 28 arrest for allegedly possessing a loaded, concealed revolver that was not registered to him.

Around 8:48 a.m. Wednesday, McGuire leaned out of the entrance to the Santa Barbara County Superior Courthouse in Santa Maria and threw a bag toward the checkpoint, according to a press release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. Santa Barbara County. The bag, containing an “improvised explosive device,” then exploded in the hallway next to Department 9, where McGuire was supposed to be arraigned.

The suspect, who was wearing a bulletproof vest and was not injured, ran out of the courthouse and attempted to get into his vehicle in the parking lot, where he was arrested by law enforcement . Responders evacuated the courthouse, nearby homes and businesses, and a school, while the sheriff’s office bomb squad swept the area.
Six people were treated at Marian Regional Medical Center for injuries sustained in the explosion, according to a hospital spokesperson. None of them suffered life-threatening injuries and all have since been released.

McGuire was booked into North Branch Prison on charges of attempted murder, making an explosive device and using an explosive device in attempted murder. He is being held without bail.

Santa Barbara County firefighters are also investigating McGuire’s possible association with “recent vegetation fires” in the area that are believed to be arson, according to Capt. Scott Safechuck.

“We believe this is a local incident committed by a local individual with a local grievance stemming from his arrest,” Undersheriff Craig Bonner said of the State House bombing. justice during a press conference on September 25. “We believe this issue… has been safely resolved and there are no outstanding community safety concerns.” »

“Detectives and the FBI are still working to investigate the suspect’s vehicle and residence,” said Raquel Zick, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office. “This is an extremely slow process due to possible safety issues associated with the materials used to make bombs.”

“Our security systems worked to the extent that the attacker did not enter the facility,” said Darrel Parker, the court’s executive director. The damage inside the courthouse is mostly superficial, he said, and the residue from the fire extinguishers will be the one that will need the most cleaning. The courthouse will reopen its doors on Monday, September 30.

The investigation is ongoing and the Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with more information to contact its anonymous tip line at (805) 681-4171.