Man who was due in court is blamed for California courthouse explosion

A California man who had recently been arrested on a gun charge threw an explosive device into the Santa Maria courthouse where he was to be arraigned on Wednesday, injuring three people, officials said. None of the injuries were life-threatening, and everyone who was hurt was treated at and released from a hospital, Santa Barbara County Undersheriff Craig Bonner said. The suspect, Nathaniel McGuire, 20, of Santa Maria, was arrested as he tried to get into his car after the explosion around 8:45 a.m. McGuire “entered the facility and threw a bag at the screening station,” Bonner said. “That bag exploded.” Five people were taken or went to a hospital themselves, three of whom sustained physical injuries that included burns, he said. Detectives conducting interviews learned a personal grudge was most likely involved, Bonner said. “McGuire’s motivation appeared to have stemmed from a recent arrest by the sheriff’s office on July 28, 2024, for firearms violations,” Bonner said. During that arrest, deputies seized a concealed revolver that was not registered to McGuire from his pant pocket, Bonner said. When McGuire was arrested Wednesday, he was wearing body armor under his clothes, Bonner said. Investigators are carrying out searches related to McGuire, including his car, he said. A phone number for McGuire’s home could not immediately be found Wednesday, and it was not clear whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. McGuire was being booked Wednesday on charges of attempted murder, using an explosive device in attempting to kill someone and possession of an explosive device, Bonner said. The courthouse, surrounding homes and a school were evacuated after the explosion as the bomb squad responded and checked for any additional explosives, Bonner said. – This Summarize was created by Neural News AI (V1). Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/explosion-california-courthouse-michael-jackson-was-tried-rcna172689