
FBI names suspect in California fertility clinic bombing as Guy Edward Bartkus
One person was killed and four hurt in Saturday's blast in Palm Springs, which the FBI said was an "intentional act of terrorism".
The bureau said Bartkus held "nihilistic" views, while the US attorney in Los Angeles said his writings were "anti pro-life".
On Saturday evening, Akil Davies, head of the FBI's Los Angeles branch, said authorities were still working to confirm the identity of the person who died at the scene.
While he did not directly say whether that person was the suspect, he said authorities were not searching for anyone.
The city's mayor, Ron DeHarte, said the bomb was "either in or near" a vehicle - with the FBI later identifying the car a silver Ford Fusion.
Dr Maher Abdallah, who runs the American Reproductive Centers clinic, said the facility was damaged but all staff were safe and accounted for.
The explosion damaged the office space where the practice conducts patient consultations, but the IVF lab and stored embryos were unharmed, he added.
"I really have no clue what happened," he said. "Thank God today happened to be a day that we have no patients."
On Facebook, the clinic said it was "heartbroken" to learn someone died in the explosion and added: "Our deepest condolences go out to the individuals and families affected."
It continued: "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.
"In the face of this tragedy, we remain committed to creating hope - because we believe that healing begins with community, compassion, and care."
The clinic will be fully operational on Monday, it added.
"This moment has shaken us - but it has not stopped us. We will continue to serve with strength, love, and the hope that brings new life into the world," the statement concluded.
The Palm Springs city government said on Facebook that the explosion happened on North Indian Canyon Drive, near East Tachevah Drive, before 11am local time (6pm GMT).
The burned-out car can be seen in a car park behind the building in aerial footage of the scene.
The blast caved in the clinic's roof and blew debris across four lanes of the road.
Another person said he was inside a cannabis dispensary nearby when he felt a massive explosion.
Nima Tabrizi said: "The building just shook, and we go outside and there's massive cloud smoke."
Investigators from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have travelled to the scene to help assess what happened.
A White House official also told Sky's US partner network NBC News that US President Donald Trump was monitoring the situation.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
20 minutes ago
- The Independent
SafeSport Center opens search for new CEO
The U.S. Center for SafeSport posted the opening for a new chief executive officer on Thursday, hoping to find a leader to steer the agency into a new era after several troubled years as a start-up. The center, a non-profit that opened in 2017 and is charged with handling sex-abuse cases in Olympic sports, hired consulting firm Korn Ferry to lead the search and work with a search committee made of center board members and advisors. 'This is more than a job search. It is a reflection of our values and the people we are accountable to — our staff, athletes, and the broader sport community," said Board Vice Chair and search committee lead Chicka Elloy. April Holmes stepped away from her duties as board chair to serve as interim CEO in place of Ju'Riese Colon while the search takes place. The center parted ways with Colon in April, not long after Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, began querying the center when details emerged about its hiring of an investigator who would later be charged with rape. The center, which also opened a search for a new chief financial officer, said Korn Ferry 'is currently conducting organizational assessments and confidential outreach to identify candidates who exemplify both executive acumen and a people-first philosophy.' The job description said the center was looking for someone with a 'deep understanding of the sports ecosystem and/or experience working in fields related to abuse prevention, compliance, or athlete advocacy.' It said the targeted salary would be between $250,000-$300,000. ___ AP sports:


The Independent
20 minutes ago
- The Independent
Hulk Hogan, icon in professional wrestling, dies at age 71
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing icon in the world of professional wrestling, has died at the age of 71, Florida police and WWE said Thursday. In Clearwater, Florida, authorities responded to a call Thursday morning about a cardiac arrest. Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said in a statement on Facebook. Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was perhaps the biggest star in WWE's long history. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon. He won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. Hogan was also a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in numerous movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1, 'Hogan Knows Best.' In 2016, a Florida jury awarded Hogan $115 million in his sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media. Hogan sued after Gawker in 2012 posted a video of him having sex with his former best friend's wife. Hogan contended the post violated his privacy. WWE posted a note on X saying it was saddened to learn the WWE Hall of Famer had passed away. 'One of pop culture's most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan's family, friends, and fans," it said.


The Guardian
21 minutes ago
- The Guardian
US justice department officials reportedly prepare to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell
The Jeffrey Epstein files scandal swirling around Donald Trump and his administration continued to escalate on Thursday as officials from the Department of Justice were reportedly set to meet with the late sex offender's longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Todd Blanche, the US deputy attorney general, arrived on Thursday morning at the office of the US attorney in Tallahassee, Florida, where he was expected to meet with Maxwell, ABC News reported. The state prosecutor's office is based in the federal courthouse in the Florida capital and Maxwell's lawyers were also seen entering the building, the TV network reported. The US justice department had announced on Tuesday that the meeting would take place 'in the coming days'. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking and other crimes at a federal prison in Florida, after being convicted in New York in late 2021. The meeting comes amid growing political and public pressure on the Trump administration to release more details about the Epstein investigation – something that Trump and members of his administration had promised. Mark Epstein, the brother of the disgraced financier, said that if he had the opportunity he would ask Maxwell 'what she and Jeffrey might have known what the dirt was on Donald Trump'. 'Because Jeffrey said he said he had dirt on Trump,' Mark Epstein said. 'I don't know what it was but years ago he said he had dirt on Trump.' He added that he wasn't 'particularly worried' for Maxwell, adding: 'There's a lot of people on this planet.' Maxwell's brother, Ian Maxwell, meanwhile, told the New York Post that his sister is preparing 'new evidence' ahead of her meeting with justice department officials. Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in New York in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, which he denied, relating to accusations that he 'sexually exploited and abused dozens of minor girls'. He had previously been officially declared a sex offender in Florida but re-emerged as a significant figure in US business and political circles in the years that followed his having struck a deal over the earlier criminal charges. The renewed focus on Trump's past association with Epstein comes after the justice department's announcement earlier this month that it would not be releasing any more documents from the most recent Epstein investigation – despite earlier pledges by both the US president and the US attorney general, Pam Bondi. The justice department's announcement drew criticism and backlash from both sides of the party political aisle, including from some Trump supporters and conservative commentators who accused the administration of engaging in a cover-up. For years, the Epstein case has been the subject of countless conspiracy theories, partly due to Epstein's ties to high-profile figures. Epstein's death, which was officially ruled a suicide, has also fueled many conspiracy theories. On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was informed by Bondi in May that his name appears multiple times in the DoJ files related to Epstein. The report also said that Trump was told that many other high-profile individuals were named in the files, and that the department did not plan to release any additional documents related to the investigation. Trump's spokesperson, Steven Cheung, denied the claims in the Journal report and dismissed the story. In an emailed statement this week, Cheung said that 'the fact is that the President kicked him [Epstein] out of his club for being a creep.' Meanwhile, the House Oversight Committee voted 8-2 on Wednesday to subpoena the justice department for the Epstein files, with three Republicans joining all Democrats in the vote. The committee also subpoenaed Maxwell to testify before committee officials on 11 August. As the DoJ's meeting with Maxwell reportedly approached on Thursday, skepticism around her credibly was growing among lawmakers. Mike Johnson, the Republican House speaker, questioned whether Maxwell could be trusted. And Dan Goldman, a Democratic New York representative, said in a post on X on Tuesday: 'Ghislaine is looking for a pardon, and who would be better to give it to her than a co-conspirator now in the Oval Office.' Edward Helmore contributed reporting.