Calif. Man Accused by Feds in Bomb Attack on Courthouse, Injuring 5

Nathaniel James McGuire, 20, allegedly arrived with a homemade bomb at Santa Barbara Superior Court ahead of his arraignment in another case

A 20-year-old man due in court for an arraignment in a firearms case allegedly bombed the California courthouse in an effort to kill court officials.

Nathaniel James McGuire is charged with malicious damage to a building by means of an explosive, per the redacted federal complaint and corresponding affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, which alleges that he bombed the courthouse “with the intention to kill the deputies working at the security desk,” and that he also had plans to kill a judge.

In a statement, Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, called the Wednesday incident a “blatant act of violence,” designed to “do harm and avoid justice.”

Related: Man Allegedly Throws Bag with Explosives Inside Calif. Courthouse on the Day of His Arraignment: Police

Around 8:48 a.m. — ahead of his Wednesday, Sept. 25, arraignment later that day — the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office says they “received a report of an explosion” at Santa Barbara Superior Court, after McGuire allegedly threw a bag, which exploded in the hallway, at a screening station.

At least five people were injured in the bombing, according to federal authorities.

Three people sustained non-life-threatening injuries, including burns, according to the sheriff’s office, which said that all five people had been treated and released from the hospital later that day.

A deputy allegedly saw McGuire enter the courthouse and yell, “Liberty or Death,” as he threw the bomb, per the affidavit, which claims that the 20-year-old fled on foot.

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McGuire was detained by law enforcement “as he was trying to access a red Ford Mustang outside the Courthouse,” per the affidavit.

Inside the sedan, the deputy allegedly saw ammunition, a flare gun and a box of fireworks, per the affidavit, which claims that McGuire “yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up and rebel.”

A later search of McGuire’s vehicle revealed a shotgun, rifle, ammunition and 10 Molotov cocktails, per the affidavit.

Authorities also recovered a “suspected improvised explosive device,” which they described in the affidavit as a can “wrapped in duct tape” and “containing a black powder with nails glued to the outside.”

McGuire allegedly later told authorities that he had purchased nails at a Home Depot that Monday, Sept. 23, per the affidavit, and that he had a list of grievances and goodbyes on his laptop.

Inside his bedroom, the FBI found, per the affidavit “an empty metal 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/energetic material.”

McGuire was wearing body armor under his jacket when he was apprehended, according to the sheriff’s office, which released a mugshot featuring the 20-year-old with several gashes near his right eye.

Santa Barbara deputies previously arrested and charged McGuire with possession of a loaded and concealed revolver that was not registered to him, according to the sheriff’s office, which said Wednesday that they were working with local firefighters “to explore if the suspect is associated with several recent arson fires.”

McGuire was initially booked into the Northern branch Santa Barbara County Jail on felony charges including attempted murder, manufacturing an explosive device and use of an explosive device for attempted murder, according to the sheriff’s office.

He is due for his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles Friday afternoon, according to federal prosecutors.

His court docket was not available online Friday morning, and it was not immediately clear if he had retained a lawyer.

If convicted, McGuire faces a mandatory sentence of between seven and 40 years in federal prison, per prosecutors.

“This defendant’s alleged misconduct was chilling,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “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.”

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