Santa Maria courthouse bombing suspect charged with trying to kill judge and deputy

A man suspected of bombing a courthouse in Santa Barbara County, wounding five people, has been accused of trying to kill a judge and deputy as prosecutors allege he was plotting multiple deaths that day.

Nathaniel James McGuire, 20, faces 10 charges including two counts of attempted murder in connection with the explosion at a Santa Maria courthouse on Sept. 25, according to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office. He also faces other charges alleging he committed multiple crimes of arson in preparation for the attack.

Two days after the bombing, federal prosecutors charged McGuire with maliciously damaging a building by means of explosive. He is currently being held in federal custody without bail.

The explosion was reported at 8:48 a.m. near Department 9 of the Santa Maria Court when McGuire allegedly threw a bag at the court's screening station and the bag exploded in a hallway, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

Law enforcement officers arrested him after he ran outside and tried getting into his red Ford Mustang. The Sheriff's Office has said he was wearing body armor underneath his jacket when they took him into custody.

"McGuire allegedly yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up, and rebel," the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California said in a Sept. 27 statement announcing the federal charge against him.

He has been accused of setting off the explosion intentionally, with county prosecutors alleging he was attempting to kill a judge, a deputy and was also targeting other people. He had been scheduled to be arraigned that day in a firearms possession case.

"It is alleged that Mr. McGuire had several loaded firearms in his vehicle and intended to kill multiple individuals in the Courthouse complex," the DA's office said in a statement. "Further, it is alleged that Mr. McGuire committed various arsons around the Santa Maria area in preparation for his attack on the Courthouse."  

Four injured people were rushed from the scene to a hospital while a fifth victim arrived to a medical facility on their own, according to sheriff's officials. Three of them suffered injuries including burns, which were not believed to be life-threatening.

The courthouse, homes in the area, nearby businesses and a school were all evacuated as authorities investigated.

The Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad responded and rendered the scene safe while some roads in the area were shut down for hours. 

Investigators later learned McGuire had been arrested for alleged firearms violations on July 28. 

"Although this is an ongoing investigation, and we are exploring all possible angles, at this point in time, we believe this to be a local incident committed by a local individual with a local grievance stemming from his arrest," Santa Barbara County Undersheriff Craig Bonner later told reporters the day of the bombing. "We are not absolutely ruling out that there is something larger at play..."

At the time, detectives were carrying out search warrants for the 20-year-old Santa Maria man's car and home. According to federal prosecutors, they later discovered a rifle, shotgun, flare gun, 10 Molotov cocktails, ammunition, a box of fireworks and a suspected bomb in the car.

"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," U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement.

The criminal complaint filed by the county DA will remain pending until the federal case is resolved. It details the following charges.

• attempted murder of a peace officer, with special allegations of committing the offense while out on bail and aggravating factors
• attempted murder 
• explosion with intent to commit murder
• terrorism
• explosion of a destructive device causing bodily injury
• three counts of arson of forest land, with special allegations of aggravating factors for two of the charges
• carrying a loaded firearm on one person's vehicle or in a vehicle-misdemeanor
• carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle-misdemeanor