LOS ANGELES — A California man has been hit with additional charges in a courthouse bombing injuring five people, officials said Tuesday, including three local arsons.
Nathaniel McGuire, 20, was charged last week by federal officials with maliciously damaging a building with an explosive device. Santa Barbara County prosecutors charged him with 10 counts, including two counts of attempted murder, use of an explosive with intent to murder and carrying a loaded firearm.
He is also charged with arson of forest land in connection with three fires that occurred on the outskirts of Santa Maria, a city of about 110,000 in California’s central coast region, that officials said were set in preparation for the attack on the courthouse.
It was not immediately known if McGuire had an attorney for his local charges. His federal public defender Iboh Umodu declined to comment on his federal case. His family did not respond to calls or messages seeking comment.
McGuire was arrested on September 25 at the Santa Maria courthouse, where he was about to be charged with illegal gun possession, when an explosion damaged the building and injured five people. Authorities said McGuire threw a bag into the courthouse lobby that exploded and left the building on foot. He was arrested when he tried to get into his car, which was parked nearby.
Authorities said they later found ammunition, a rifle, a suspected bomb, fireworks and 10 Molotov cocktails in the car, as well as other materials used in making explosives during a search of McGuire’s home.
In a filing in federal court, federal authorities said that after his arrest, McGuire told police that he had gone to the courthouse planning to kill officers working at the security desk. Authorities said he told them he planned to return to the car to retrieve several loaded firearms and reenter the courthouse to kill a judge.
At his arraignment last Friday, he had an outburst in which he shouted about world events and blamed the U.S. government. He said he had no rights and was being “censored” for speaking out.
“You’re the real criminals,” McGuire shouted, appearing visibly distressed as his lawyer tried to calm him down.
McGuire is being held in federal custody without bail. After his federal case, he will be transported back to Santa Barbara County to face the additional charges.
