California Man Charged After Courthouse Bombing Injures Five, Driven by Gun Confiscation Anger

Authorities have charged Nathaniel James McGuire, a 20-year-old resident of Santa Maria, with allegedly throwing an explosive device inside the Santa Barbara County, California, courthouse, resulting in injuries to five individuals. The Justice Department announced the charges on Friday.

McGuire is accused of maliciously damaging a building by means of an explosive and was expected to appear in a Los Angeles federal court on the same day. An official statement from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland condemned the alleged attack, stating it caused fear across the courthouse and the community.

California man accused of throwing bomb in courthouse

Federal prosecutors revealed that McGuire entered the lobby of the Santa Maria courthouse on Wednesday and threw a bag containing a bomb. The explosive detonated, injuring five people. Following the incident, McGuire attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended by authorities while trying to enter a parked Ford Mustang outside the courthouse.

Motivation Behind the Attack

According to police, McGuire's alleged motive stemmed from a previous arrest for possessing an unregistered firearm. He was due to appear in court on the morning of the incident. Its alleged that at the time of his arrest, McGuire yelled that the “government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up, and rebel.”

Findings in McGuire's Vehicle and Residence

During the investigation, a Santa Barbara sheriff's deputy reportedly discovered ammunition, a flare gun, and a box of fireworks inside McGuire's vehicle. Additionally, authorities located a shotgun, a rifle, further ammunition, a suspected bomb, and 10 Molotov cocktails. The law enforcement officials subsequently rendered the bomb safe.

Upon searching McGuire's residence, authorities reportedly found an empty 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 material.

Status of the Victims

Fortunately, none of the five individuals injured in the explosion sustained life-threatening injuries. Four victims were transported directly to the hospital, while the fifth made their way there independently. The injured individuals were treated for burns, but all have since been released from the hospital.

Possible Consequences for McGuire

Nathaniel McGuire now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 40 years if convicted. This incident has raised serious concerns regarding public safety and the safety of judicial and law enforcement officials.