UPDATE (10:53 a.m.) — The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office reports the suspect involved in the explosion that occurred Wednesday morning at the Santa Barbara County Superior Courthouse in Santa Maria is an adult male, and that the blast was caused by an intentionally planted improvised explosive device.
WATCH: Witness Shane Mellon describes the scene at the Santa Maria Courthouse after the explosion, with raw video shown
Witness Shane Mellon describes the scene at the Santa Maria Courthouse after the explosion
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UPDATE (10:46 AM) – California Governor Gavin Newsom's office posted on X that the California Office of Emergency Services is monitoring the situation in Santa Maria.
Governor's Office and @Cal_OES The explosion at the Santa Maria Courthouse is being actively monitored and coordinated with law enforcement officials.
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) September 25, 2024
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UPDATE (10:34 a.m.) – According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, two people have reported non-life-threatening injuries. A sheriff's spokesperson says one person was taken into custody shortly after the incident. The scene remained active as of 10:30 a.m.
The FBI is also responding.
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UPDATE (10:11 a.m.) — A Santa Maria city spokesperson says a suspect is in custody following reports of a bomb blast about 8:34 a.m. Wednesday at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse in Santa Maria.
The spokesperson said that following the incident, as a precautionary measure, City Hall, Finance Department, Public Library, and Recreation and Parks Department were closed and would remain closed for the rest of the day.
The Maria Public Library and the Recreation and Parks Department will be closed for the rest of the day. They are located on the McClelland Street corridor near the courthouse.
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ORIGINAL NEWS: The Santa Barbara County Courthouse in Santa Maria was closed Wednesday morning due to a reported explosion, officials said.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, as of 9:25 a.m., the area was not considered safe and people were asked to avoid the area.
A witness at the scene told KSBY that someone came into the courthouse and threw a bag at security guards, causing the explosion.
The witness said that after this the security personnel took the person into custody.
Officials have not confirmed whether anyone was injured.
Several roads in the area are closed, including Miller Street from Cook to Central, and McClelland Street from Boone to Cook.
The sheriff’s office is leading the investigation, according to Santa Maria police.
A court official told KSBY that the premises are currently closed.
This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.