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By Jenna Sundel
News Reporter
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Officials are responding to a report of an explosion near the Santa Maria Courthouse in California.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said on X that a person of interest was detained "immediately" at the Lewellen Justice Center where the courthouse is located.
The individual who was detained is an adult male. Officials have not released his identity yet.
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Five people injured in the incident are being treated at Marian Regional Medical Center, hospital spokesperson Sandy Doucette told CNN.
"Of these, three are in fair condition, while two are in good condition. We are providing them with the highest level of care and support," she told the outlet.
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Newsweek contacted Marian Regional Medical Center for more information.
The explosion was a result of "an intentionally set improvised explosive device," the sheriff's office said.
The sheriff's office said they received the call at 8:48 a.m. They told the public to avoid the area and said it "has not been deemed safe" yet.
The sheriff's office's bomb team is processing the scene. Detectives said they do not believe there are any additional suspects.
Officials said they will hold a press conference at 4 p.m.
California Governor Gavin Newson's press office posted that it is "actively monitoring the explosion at the Santa Maria Courthouse and coordinating with law enforcement authorities."
The courthouse complex holds state and county courts. The campus was closed and all calendars were canceled for the rest of the day, according to the Superior Court's website. Anyone who needed to reschedule a matter was told to contact the clerk's office on Thursday.
The Santa Maria City Hall, Finance Department, City Attorney's Office, Public Library and Recreation and Parks Department were also closed for the day following the incident.
San Joaquin Superior Court said on X that it received a bomb threat on Wednesday morning. The courthouse was evacuated and closed for the day. San Joaquin is located about 160 miles north of Santa Maria.
It is unknown if the two incidents are connected.
Where is Santa Maria?
Santa Maria is located about 65 miles from Santa Barbara. It has a population of about 109,707.
It is the largest city in Santa Barbara County which is located in southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population of the county was 448,229.
Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
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