Santa Maria courthouse attacker charged with attempted murder

October 1, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

The 20-year-old man who detonated a bomb at the Santa Maria courthouse, injuring five people, faces 10 additional charges, including attempted murder, according to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

Nathaniel McGuire went to the courthouse on the morning of September 25th with the intention of murdering the officers at the security desk near Department 9 and a judge. He threw a bag containing a bomb at the security desk while screaming “freedom or death” before walking to his car to grab a gun and shoot the judge.

Federal prosecutors charged McGuire on Sept. 26 with malicious damage to a building with an explosive. If convicted, McGuire faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years on the federal charge.

Nathaniel McGuire

On October 1, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office filed ten charges against McGuire, including two counts of attempted murder, use of an explosive device with intent to murder, use of an explosive device for the purpose of terrorizing, use of an explosive device causing injury, and several counts of arson Use of an accelerant and possession of loaded firearms.

McGuire was scheduled to appear in Ward 9 on the day of the bombing to face charges of possession of a loaded and concealed revolver that was not registered to him.

Investigators also suspect that McGuire set several fires in the Santa Maria area in preparation for his attack on the courthouse.

McGuire is currently being held without bail in a federal prison in Los Angeles. The district attorney's complaint remains pending until all federal charges are adjudicated and McGuire is transported back to Santa Barbara County to face the 10 additional charges.

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