FBI investigators have identified the person suspected of detonating a car bomb outside a Palm Springs, California, fertility clinic on Saturday – and dying in the process – as 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus.
A bureau official said agents had determined Bartkus held “nihilistic views” before Saturday’s blast outside an American Reproductive Centers clinic, which also injured four other people.
According to outlets citing sources familiar with the matter, Bartkus is a resident of Twentynine Palms, home to a large marine base located about an hour away from Palm Springs.
The sources added that Bartkus stated in writings or recordings that he was against bringing people into the world against their will, CBS reported. The New York Post, citing its own sources, reported Bartkus was a “pro-mortalist”.
In a Facebook post on Sunday morning, the San Bernardino county sheriff’s department said there is law enforcement “occurring in Twentynine Palms”, which is “an FBI investigation related to the Palm Springs explosion”.
“At this time, there are no known threats to the San Bernardino county region,” the sheriff’s office said. But the agency added: “Out of an abundance of caution, sheriff’s deputies will be conducting extra patrols at fertility centers located in our jurisdiction.”
An FBI statement described the attacks as an “intentional act of terrorism”, adding that the clinic was deliberately targeted. But it declined to elaborate on how authorities had reached a conclusion on a motive.
The bomb, which detonated before 11am, was either in or near a car parked outside the clinic when it exploded, said the Palm Springs mayor, Ron deHarte.
Bartkus tried to record video or stream the blast, according to an official speaking anonymously to the Associated Press.
Aerial images of the damage to the facility showed the burned-out remains of a vehicle in a parking lot behind the clinic.
Despite damage to the building, the ARC said its facility would be fully operational on Monday.
The Desert Sun reported that the explosion could be felt as far as 2 miles (3km) away.
Dr Maher Abdallah, who runs the ARC facility where the explosion happened, told the Associated Press in a phone interview that all of his staff were safe and accounted for.
The explosion damaged the practice’s office space, where it conducts consultations with patients. But the blast did not harm the in vitro fertilization (IVF) lab and all of the stored embryos.
In a statement on Facebook, the ARC said: “We are heartbroken to learn that this event claimed a life and caused injuries, and our deepest condolences go out to the individuals and families affected.”
The ARC also said it appreciated “the incredible support from our patients and local community, as well as the swift action of Palm Springs police, fire, and emergency responders”.
California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, wrote on X that he and his wife, Jen, “are keeping everyone affected in our hearts”.
“The state is working closely with local and federal authorities as the investigation unfolds,” Newsom added. “Please avoid the area.”
Meanwhile, US attorney general Pam Bondi said “violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable”.
Reuters contributed reporting
