AFTER BOMBING IN PALM SPRINGS , SAN DIEGO SHERIFF PROVIDES EXTRA PATROLS AT FERTILITY CLINICS

East County News Service

Photo via FBI:  The FBI is investigating this as a terrorism act, along with the U.S. Joint Task Force on Terrorism and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

May 18, 2025 (San Diego) – A vehicle bomb outside a Palm Springs fertility clinic yesterday killed one person and left four others injured. 

The suspect has been identified as Guy Edward Bartkus of Twentynine Palms,  a military community, CBS reports, citing law enforcement officials. According to CBS, the suspect stated irrationally in writings and/or recordings that he was against bringing people into the world against their will. He reportedly claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Although the identity of the deceased has not yet been released, CNN reports that law enforcement believes the suspect is the person who died near the vehicle explosion. Local authorities have said they do not believe a threat to the public there remains.

U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi posted on social media that the federal government is investigating.  She stated, “Let me be clear: the Trump administration understands that women and mothers are the heartbeat of America. Violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable.”

Akil Davis, assistant FBI director of the Los Angeles division, said in a press conference yesterday, “Make no mistake. This is an intentional act of terrorism.” Davis called the blast one of the largest explosions ever in southern California.

San Diego Sheriff Kelly Martinez issued a statement indicating that while there are no known threats to the San Diego County region,  “Out of an abundance of caution, Sheriff's Deputies will be conducting extra patrols at fertility centers located in Sheriff's Office jurisdiction. “

She urges the public to report suspicious activity by calling 9-1-1 or contacting your local law enforcement agency.

An improvised explosive device on a vehicle in the parking lot outside the American Reproductive Centers, an in-vitro fertilization clinic, set off a blast that could be felt a mile away.  It damaged multiple buildings just steps from the area’s main hospital and blocks from the downtown business district.

Authorities have said they searched the suspect’s home, after evacuating neighboring residents in Twentynine Palms.

In a statement, American Reproductive Centers said no members of their team were harmed and their Palm Springs lab, “including all eggs, embryos, and reproductive materials” was undamaged.

 “Our mission has always been to help build families, and in times like these, we are reminded of just how fragile and precious life is,”  the clinic’s statement reads. “In the face of this tragedy, we remain committed to creating hope—because we believe that healing begins with community, compassion, and care.”