Photo Credit: KSBY
The Santa Maria courthouse was bombed yesterday morning at around 8:35 am; the primary suspect who has been arrested is 20-year-old Nathaniel McGuire of Santa Maria.
According to officials, McGuire threw a bag at the screening station outside of department 9, which then exploded. McGuire then tried to flee the scene, but was quickly stopped and detained by a security officer and Santa Barbara county sheriff’s deputy. McGuire cried out that he was innocent, and Santa Barbara county sheriff deputies note that he was scheduled to appear in department 9 on Monday for multiple firearm charges, and he is a suspect in several recent arson fires. Five were injured from the explosion.
McGuire has been booked in the northern branch jail on charges that include attempted murder, and use of an explosive device for attempted murder.
Officials say that while the investigation is ongoing, they believe this was a local incident committed by a local individual with grievances from his arrest.
