Updated 9/26/24 at 10:30 a.m.
At a news conference, Santa Barbara Sheriff’s officials identified the suspect as 20-year-old Nathanial McGuire. They said he was due in court Wednesday morning to face weapons charges stemming from a July arrest.
Updated 9/25/24 at 12:44 p.m.
Shane Mellon was in the courthouse when the explosion occurred. He told KSBY that it was a chaotic scene:
“I heard what sounded like a bunch of chairs following over, or whatever, but it was a loud bang. The bailiff escorted the judge out of the courthouse and back into her chambers, and escorted us, evacuated us out of the courthouse out into the front," Mellon said.
9/25/24 at 11:11 a.m.
Two people are injured and a suspect is in custody after an apparent bomb exploded inside the Santa Maria Courthouse this morning.
According to the Santa Barabara Sheriff’s Department, the people who were hurt suffered injuries that are not life threatening.
A witness told KSBY someone walked into the courthouse just after 8:30 a.m. and threw a backpack at security, causing an explosion.
A suspect was taken into custody around 9 a.m. Authorities have not discussed a possible motive for the attack.
The courthouse is closed for the day, as are Santa Maria’s Main Library and other government offices that are located nearby.
In addition to the San Barbara Sheriff’s Office and local Santa Maria police, the FBI has also reportedly responded to the incident.
Governor Gavin Newsom posted on social media that state officials are “actively monitoring the explosion.”
This is a developing story and KCBX will keep you updated throughout the day.
