‘Liberty or death!’ Man who bombed Santa Maria courthouse wanted to kill judge, DOJ says

The suspect in the bombing at the Santa Maria courthouse on Wednesday had a cache of weapons in his car and wanted to kill a judge, reportedly yelling “Liberty or death!” as he threw the explosive, the Department of Justice said.

Nathaniel James McGuire, a 20-year-old man from Santa Maria, was arrested shortly after the Wednesday morning attack that injured at least five people. He was expected to make his first appearance in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles on Friday afternoon.

McGuire “is charged with maliciously damaging a building by means of explosive,” according to a Department of Justice news release on Thursday evening.

He now faces federal charges and, if convicted, would receive a mandatory minimum federal prison sentence of seven years up to a statutory maximum of 40 years.

McGuire allegedly entered the Santa Barbara County Superior Court complex in Santa Maria shortly before 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning and threw a bag into the lobby, according to the affidavit filed with the complaint. The bag exploded and McGuire left the courthouse on foot, the release said.

During a news conference Wednesday evening, officials said McGuire appeared to throw the bomb from behind the courthouse security checkpoint, with the device landing in the area of Department 9, the arraignment courtroom.

McGuire was expected to be arraigned that same morning on a weapons charge after he was found with a concealed, loaded revolver not registered in his name in July, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Craig Bonner said during the news conference Wednesday evening.

A photo of the bombing scene showed a burned and blackened door with what appeared to be the bag lying in front of it.

McGuire was apprehended by law enforcement officials as he attempted to flee to a red Ford Mustang parked outside the building, according to the release.

He then allegedly “yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up and rebel,” the release said.

Video circulated on social media Wednesday afternoon, showing a man purported to be McGuire yelling profanities at law enforcement as they dragged him along a sidewalk.

According to the Department of Justice complaint, McGuire allegedly later told law enforcement that as he threw the bag into the courthouse, he yelled “Liberty or death!”

He said he then planned to go back to his car, where he said he would get a shotgun and Molotov cocktails and reenter the courthouse to kill a judge, the complaint alleged.

A search of McGuire’s car revealed a shotgun, a rifle, ammunition, a suspected bomb and 10 Molotov cocktails, the Department of Justice said, along with a flare gun and a box of fireworks.

The second suspected bomb was later rendered safe, according to the release.

In the news conference Wednesday, officials said McGuire was also discovered to be wearing body armor at the time of the incident.

Further searches of McGuire’s home unearthed an empty can with nails glued to the outside and a duffel bag with matches, black powder and used and unused fireworks, as well as papers “that appeared to be recipes for explosive material,” the release said.

“This defendant’s alleged misconduct was chilling,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in the release. “Not only did he injure five people and traumatize many more, but he possessed a cache of weapons that would have allowed him to wreck even greater destruction had he not been stopped. Attacks on our courts, law enforcement officers and other public servants are unacceptable, and it is critical that those who carry out such assaults be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”

Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI Los Angeles field office, said in the release that intentionally setting off a bomb “to do harm and avoid justice in the process shocks the conscience.”

“Make no mistake, we are committed to holding Mr. McGuire accountable for this blatant act of violence,” Davis said. “As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety.”

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown described the incident as “shocking” and “unprecedented” but upheld that the security at the courthouse was maintained throughout.

“The suspect was swiftly apprehended by a court security officer, a sheriff’s deputy, two California Highway Patrol officers and a district attorney’s investigator,” Brown said in the release. “We are proud of their resolute actions that almost certainly prevented further violence. We are also grateful for the substantial investigative assistance that has been provided by our colleagues with the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and from U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada and his office.”

The FBI and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office were continuing to investigate the incident.

Bombing at Santa Maria Superior Courthouse

Two people were injured and a male suspect was detained following an incident at the Santa Maria Superior Courthouse.

Map created with the assistance of ChatGPT.