FBI says suspect in Palm Springs fertility clinic bombing left behind ‘anti-pro-life’ writings | World News
After a car bomb attack near a fertility centre in Palm Springs, California on Saturday, the FBI said it has identified the suspect and believes the 25-year-old man, responsible for the detonation, left behind “anti-pro-life” writings before carrying out the attack and the investigators are treating it as an act of terrorism.
The FBI identified Guy Edward Bartkus of Twentynine Palms, California as the main suspect behind the apparent car explosion on Saturday, which damaged a fertility clinic in Palm Springs in the desert east of Los Angeles.
A senior FBI official called the incident the “largest bombing scene that we’ve had in Southern California.” A body was found near the charred remains of the car and the FBI said it belonged to the suspect Barktus, who tried to livestream the act and left behind writings that communicated “nihilic ideations”.
“Make no make, this is an intentional act of terrorism. The FBI is investigating it as such.” -Our Assant Director in charge at @FBILosAngeles Akil Davis giving the latest on the explosion in Palm Springs, CA. Our teams are working day and night on the ground to ass. pic.twitter.com/Rb8gM5BAwF
— Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) May 18, 2025
During a press briefing, Akil Davis, assant director at the FBI’s Los Angeles field office said “We are fairly confident that Mr. Bartkus is our primary suspect.” Davis added that Barktus died as he was trying to livestream the explosion. His body was recovered near the vehicle – a 2010 silver Ford Fusion.
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Damage to a building is seen after an explosion in Palm Springs, California. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
“The subject had nihilic ideations, and this was a targeted attack against the IVF (in vitro fertilization) facility. Make no make. We are treating this…as an intentional act of terrorism,” Davis added, Reuters reported.
The blast on Saturday claimed the life of one person, who was identified as the suspect Bartkus, while four other people were injured. However, reports showed no embryos kept inside the fertility clinic were harmed in the explosion.
Authorities were executing a search warrant in Twentynine Palms, which is about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Palm Springs and comprises 28,000 residents. The Saturday blast gutted the American Reproductive Centers clinic but the IVF centre confirmed that its staff remained unhurt in the incident.
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