Calif. Man Accused by Feds in Bomb Attack on Courthouse, Injuring 5

Mar. 15, 2025

Nathaniel James McGuire.Photo:Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office

A 20-year-old man due in court for an arraignment in a firearms caseallegedly bombed the California courthousein an effort to kill court officials.

In astatement, Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, called the Wednesday incident a “blatant act of violence,” designed to “do harm and avoid justice.”

Inside Santa Barbara Superior Court following the Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024 bombing in Santa Maria, Calif.Department of Justice

Department of Justice

Around 8:48 a.m. — ahead of his Wednesday, Sept. 25, arraignment later that day — theSanta Barbara County Sheriff’s Officesays they “received a report of an explosion” at Santa Barbara Superior Court, after McGuire allegedly threw a bag, which exploded in the hallway, at a screening station.

At least five people were injured in the bombing, according to federal authorities.

Three people sustained non-life-threatening injuries, including burns, according to the sheriff’s office, which said that all five people had been treated and released from the hospital later that day.

A deputy allegedly saw McGuire enter the courthouse and yell, “Liberty or Death,” as he threw the bomb, per the affidavit, which claims that the 20-year-old fled on foot.

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Inside the sedan, the deputy allegedly saw ammunition, a flare gun and a box of fireworks, per the affidavit, which claims that McGuire “yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up and rebel.”

A later search of McGuire’s vehicle revealed a shotgun, rifle, ammunition and 10 Molotov cocktails, per the affidavit.

Inside his bedroom, the FBI found, per the affidavit “an empty metal can with nails glued to the outside, a duffel bag containing matches, black powder, used and unused fireworks and papers that appeared to be recipes for explosive/energetic material.”

McGuire was wearing body armor under his jacket when he was apprehended, according to the sheriff’s office, which released a mugshot featuring the 20-year-old with several gashes near his right eye.

Santa Barbara deputies previously arrested and charged McGuire with possession of a loaded and concealed revolver that was not registered to him, according to the sheriff’s office, which said Wednesday that they were working with local firefighters “to explore if the suspect is associated with several recent arson fires.”

McGuire was initially booked into the Northern branch Santa Barbara County Jail on felony charges including attempted murder, manufacturing an explosive device and use of an explosive device for attempted murder, according to the sheriff’s office.

He is due for his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles Friday afternoon, according to federal prosecutors.

His court docket was not available online Friday morning, and it was not immediately clear if he had retained a lawyer.

If convicted, McGuire faces a mandatory sentence of between seven and 40 years in federal prison, per prosecutors.

“This defendant’s alleged misconduct was chilling,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “Not only did he injure five people and traumatize many more, but he possessed a cache of weapons that would have allowed him to wreak even greater destruction had he not been stopped.”

source: people.com