Telegraph Reporters
26 September 2024 2:29am
Five people were taken to hospital in California after a man allegedly set off an improvised explosive device in a courthouse.
A suspect was arrested on Wednesday morning after allegedly detonating the makeshift device in the lobby of the Santa Maria Courthouse, in the city of Santa Maria.
The resulting explosion injured five people and prompted the closure of the court complex and other city buildings, officials said.
Bill Ausman, a lawyer, said the suspect was “screaming that over 900,000 people a year are being killed” by the US government’s Food and Drug Administration when he arrived at the courthouse.
“I heard an explosion and someone screaming, ‘It’s a bomb, it’s a bomb, it’s a bomb,’” he said.
Mr Ausman described how he saw a man tackled by law enforcement as he tried to run while dozens of bystanders fleed. “It was really chaotic,” he added.
Sandy Doucette, a spokesman for Marian Regional Medical Center, said the hospital was treating five patients in connection with the explosion. Two were said to be in good condition and three in fair condition on Wednesday.
Darrel Parker, the court executive officer in Santa Barbara County, said the explosion occurred in the first-floor lobby of the criminal court building, which serves as the entryway and weapons screening point for the court campus.
Anyone who wants to go to criminal, civil or other courts would have to pass through there to do so, he said, adding: “I am not certain that the suspect made it past weapons screening.”
Loud bang
Shane Mellon, a witness, told KSBY-TV that he was at the courthouse when he heard a “loud bang” and was escorted away by a court officer.
Mr Mellon said he saw a man screaming while four or five people climbed on top of him, trying to keep him restrained.
“I think this could have been way worse than it was if not for the deputies just jumping on top of that guy,” he continued.
The office of Gavin Newsom, the California Governor said it was monitoring the situation and coordinating with local law enforcement.
The courts were closed on Wednesday and filing extensions will be offered for those affected by the shutdown. Mr Parker said he expected the court to resume operations on Thursday.
Patrols were stepped up at courthouses in neighboring Los Angeles County, the local sheriff’s department said.
Santa Maria City Hall, which is near the courthouse, was also closed Wednesday due to the ongoing investigation, said Mark van de Kamp, the city’s spokesman.
The courthouse holds state and county courts in the city of Santa Maria, which is about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Two decades ago, the courthouse was where Michael Jackson was tried and acquitted of sexual abuse.
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