An explosion erupted from a California courthouse Wednesday afternoon, leaving two people with non-life-threatening injuries and another detained
Explosion at a California courthouse left two people with non-life-threatening injuries and one person detained.
Authorities have urged residents to steer clear of the area. One person was detained following the blast reported shortly after 8:45 a.m. at the Santa Maria Courthouse in northern Santa Barbara County, sheriff’s officials said.
Reports say the detained suspect was inside the courthouse when he threw a bag alleged to have been filled with explosives. The bag then exploded, sparking the injuries and the police mobilization. The details were divulged by Superior Court Executive Officer Darrel Parker who spoke with Noozhawk, a local online news outlet in Santa Barbara County.
The courthouse holds state and county courts in the city of 110,000 people
It reported the suspect was currently being arraigned inside the courthouse, the cause of his arraignment is unclear at this time.
“We have two reports of non-life-threatening injuries. One person of interest detained immediately. Scene remains active. Please continue to avoid the area,” Santa Barbara County Sheriff Public Information Officer Raquel Zick said on the social platform X. A spokesperson for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department declined to immediately provide additional information.
The office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom said it was “actively monitoring” the situation and coordinating with local law enforcement. The courthouse holds state and county courts in the city of 110,000 people on the southern edge of California’s central coast, about 150 miles (240 km) northwest of Los Angeles.
The courthouse will be closed for the remainder of the day
The courthouse will be closed for the remainder of the day as police continue their investigation. Other buildings within one block of the courthouse are also shuttered but are expected to open up later in the day, Mark Van de Camp, spokesperson for the city of Santa Maria, told ABC.
Just hours ago, a bus in California was hijacked. The perp led authorities on a high-speed chase that lasted for more than an hour. The theft was gruesome as the suspect reportedly shot a passenger dead before holding the driver at gunpoint. He ordered the hostage to drive in order to elude police, but the SWAT team was able to reprimand him, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sports and entertainment stories
Authorities cut the bus off and lay spiked road strips to puncture the tire at around 2:05 a.m., they said. With nowhere to go, the suspect barricaded himself inside with the driver he continued to hold at gunpoint.
Police were eventually able to get inside and apprehend the gunman. They also transported the injured hostage to the hospital where he was later died from his injuries.
Zick later said the person detained was a man and the blast came from “an intentionally set” explosive device.
Shane Mellon told KSBY-TV that he was at the courthouse when he heard what sounded like chairs falling over.
