Explosion Reported at Courthouse in California, Sheriff s Office Says

(Reuters) -Authorities were responding on Wednesday to a reported explosion at the Santa Maria Courthouse in California, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office amid reports that a suspect was in custody.

It was not immediately clear if there were any injuries.

"Santa Maria Courthouse: report of an explosion. Please avoid the area. Scene has not been deemed safe. More info to follow," the sheriff's office said in a post on X.

A suspect was inside the court building and threw a bag in an arraignment courtroom that then exploded, reported the Noozhawk, a local online news outlet in Santa Barbara County, citing Superior Court Executive Officer Darrel Parker.

The suspect was in custody, the news outlet reported.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago; editing by Susan Heavey)