The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Los Angeles office confirmed on Sunday (May 18) that the suspect of the explosion at a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California is Guy Edward Bartkus, a 25-year-old from Twentynine Palms.
Akil Davis, the head of the office, stated in a press conference that the suspect died in the explosion, which also resulted in injuries to four other individuals.
The explosion destroyed the single-story clinic of the American Reproductive Centers in the upscale community of Palm Springs, shattering windows and doors of neighboring buildings. Fortunately, the clinic staff were safe as there were no patients present that day.
Davis mentioned that all embryos at the fertility clinic were successfully preserved. He classified the explosion incident as an “intentional act of terrorism.”
Prior to the explosion, the suspect had posted a lengthy manifesto online and attempted to record the explosion scene. However, authorities indicated that the related video was not successfully uploaded onto the internet.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi described the attack as “unforgivable.”
In the United States, reproductive medical services, including abortion and infertility treatments, continue to spark controversy. Some conservative individuals, based on religious beliefs, advocate for the prohibition of these medical procedures.