Palm Springs (United States) (AFP) – The FBI on Sunday identified the suspect behind the bombing at a California fertility clinic as a 25-year-old man with “nihilistic ideation” who is believed to have died in the blast. The explosion Saturday morning tore through downtown Palm Springs, ripping a hole in the clinic and blowing out the windows and doors of nearby buildings.
Akil Davis, the head of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, reiterated Sunday that the attack was being considered an “intentional act of terrorism.” He said the suspect had been identified as Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of Twentynine Palms, California. Authorities in the small city, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Palm Springs, had said on Saturday that federal agents were operating in the area, without providing further details.
Davis told a press conference Sunday that “the subject had nihilistic ideations and this was a targeted attack against the IVF facility.” He said authorities were investigating a “possible manifesto” shared online ahead of the attack, which he said Bartkus “was attempting to live stream.” All of the embryos at the clinic had been saved, Davis said, thanking the quick work of fire, police, and FBI personnel. “They understood the sensitivity and the precious nature of what was inside, and they took extreme care to ensure that there was no loss of any sensitive material,” he said.
Palm Springs police chief Andrew Mills said he was “absolutely confident that this city is safe.” “There is no continuing threat to our community as a result of this incident,” he said. Reproductive care, including abortion and fertility services, remains controversial in the United States, where some conservatives believe the procedures should be outlawed for religious reasons. Violence against clinics providing such services is rare, but not unheard of.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said Saturday on social media that “violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable.”
© 2024 AFP
