Latest news with #AkilDavis
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
FBI identifies suspect in Palm Springs fertility clinic bombing
STORY: The FBI has named a suspect in a bomb explosion outside a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California over the weekend. The agency said Sunday they believe the attack was intentional. Here's assistant director at the FBI's Los Angeles field office, Akil Davis. 'We are fairly confident that that subject is Guy Edward Bartkus, 25 year old, from again, Palm Springs - I'm sorry, from again 29 Palms." The blast went off in or near a car parked outside the clinic, which was operated by American Reproductive Center. :: @PetCareNServices The sound of the explosion was caught on this home security camera. One person was killed and at least four were injured in the blast. Officials said that no embryos stored inside the clinic were harmed. Davis said the FBI believes Bartkus died in the blast. He described the suspect as having, quote, 'nihilistic ideations,' and said that he had been trying to livestream the attack. Davis added that the FBI was conducting a search at the suspect's home, and that the agency did not believe there was an 'ongoing threat to the public.' Officials said they are receiving hundreds of tips and collecting evidence, including pieces of the vehicle that exploded and were strewn several hundred feet in every direction. Davis said it is likely the largest bombing crime scene in Southern California history. Palm Spring residents on Sunday were still reeling from the attack. 'We were sitting in our home, which is a mile from where it occurred, and it was very loud. I was shook. So, that must have been one big bomb happening a mile away." 'Who would have thought in Palm Springs of all places? You know what I mean? But that's the world we live in. It's just the way it is. You just have to accept things and pray for better outcomes and less violence. But it's like I said, it's the world that we live in." Bartkus was not known to the FBI prior to the incident.
Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Indian Express
FBI says suspect in Palm Springs fertility clinic bombing left behind ‘anti-pro-life' writings
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 'nihilistic ideations'. 'Make no mistake, this is an intentional act of terrorism. The FBI is investigating it as such.' -Our Assistant 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 assist. — Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) May 18, 2025 During a press briefing, Akil Davis, assistant 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. 'The subject had nihilistic ideations, and this was a targeted attack against the IVF (in vitro fertilization) facility. Make no mistake. 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.
Fox News
19-05-2025
- Fox News
At least 1 dead after bomb rocks Palm Springs reproductive center: 'Intentional act of terrorism'
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) bomb technicians are investigating an apparent car bombing near a Palm Springs, California, fertility clinic on Saturday, which left one person dead and at least four people injured. The blast, which FBI Los Angeles assistant director Akil Davis called an "intentional act of terrorism," happened just before 11 a.m. local time near an American Reproductive Centers facility. Acknowledging the attack was "targeted," officials said they are still investigating if the isolated incident was an act of international or domestic terrorism. However, they did note it is "probably one of the largest bombing investigations that we've had in Southern California … on the scale of the Aliso Viejo bombing in Orange County," which killed one person and injured two others in 2018. Davis did not immediately identify the person who died in the explosion or confirm if it was the person of interest, but noted authorities are "not actively out searching for a suspect." Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Miles said debris extended across multiple blocks, describing it as a "massive" crime scene. Jason Pack, a retired FBI agent and hostage negotiator, told Fox News Digital it could take days for authorities to search for evidence of explosives through several blocks of rubble. To determine the type and quantity of devices used, investigators will need to examine blast radius and structural impact to assess the power and direction of the explosion, and search for chemical residues of known explosive materials — such as ammonium nitrate, TATP, RDX, or PETN, according to Pack. Key finds will also include fragments, shrapnel and device components, to help reconstruct the method of detonation. "Whether this was a single large device or multiple smaller ones, those answers will come from detailed lab testing and scene reconstruction—not just visual assessment," Pack said. Posts on social media showed nearby businesses with glass and debris blown out of windows. "Terrorism came knocking on the door of Palm Springs," Miles said during a news conference Saturday night. "We survived, and I can tell you that this city will rise and be more and be more effective as a beacon of hope than before." The American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic said no staff members were harmed, and while the building was damaged, the IVF lab—including eggs, embryos and reproductive materials—were spared. "This morning, an unexpected and tragic incident occurred outside our Palm Springs facility when a vehicle exploded in the parking lot near our building," the company wrote in a Facebook post. "In the face of this tragedy, we remain committed to creating hope—because we believe that healing begins with community, compassion and care. … 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 Palm Springs Police Department's active call log listed multiple responses for medical service on the 1100 block of N Palm Canyon Drive, beginning just before 11 a.m. local time. There were also various calls for burglaries in the area, according to police records. In a statement on X, Attorney General Pam Bondi called the attack "unforgiveable." "We are working to learn more, but let me be clear: the Trump administration understands that women and mothers are the heartbeat of America," Bondi wrote in the post. "Violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable." In separate posts to X, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli and Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed their condolences and support for federal investigators working on the case. The Palm Springs Fire Department, California Highway Patrol and Desert Regional Medical Center did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment. The Riverside County Sheriff's Office told Fox News Digital it is not responding to the incident.
The Australian
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The Australian
FBI identifies California bomb suspect as 'nihilistic' 25-year-old
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." des/st
National Post
18-05-2025
- National Post
California fertility-clinic bombing suspect left behind 'anti-pro-life' writings: officials
A 25-year-old man the FBI believes was responsible for an explosion that ripped through a Southern California fertility clinic left behind 'anti-pro-life' writings before carrying out an attack investigators are calling an act of terrorism, authorities said Sunday. Article content Guy Edward Bartkus of Twentynine Palms, California, was identified by the FBI as the suspect in the apparent car bomb detonation Saturday that damaged the clinic in the upscale city of Palm Springs in the desert east of Los Angeles. Article content Investigators believe Barktus died in the blast, which a senior FBI official called possibly the 'largest bombing scene that we've had in Southern California.' A body was found near a charred vehicle outside the clinic. Article content Article content Bartkus attempted to livestream the explosion and left behind writings that communicated 'nihilistic ideations' that were still being examined to determine his state of mind, said Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles field office. U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in the area, called the writings 'anti-pro-life.' Article content The Associated Press reported Saturday night that those writings professed a sentiment that the world should not be populated. Article content 'This was a targeted attack against the IVF facility,' Davis said Sunday. 'Make no mistake: we are treating this, as I said yesterday, as an intentional act of terrorism.' Article content Article content The bombing injured four other people, though Davis said all embryos at the facility were saved. Article content Article content 'Good guys one, bad guys zero,' he said. Article content Authorities were executing a search warrant in Twentynine Palms, a city of 28,000 residents about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Palm Springs, as part of the investigation. Article content The suspect posted writings online and attempted to record the explosion, though authorities said the video failed to upload. An official who was not authorized to discuss details of the attack spoke on condition of anonymity to the AP. Article content 'Thank God today happened to be a day that we have no patients,' Dr. Maher Abdallah, who leads the clinic, told the AP in a phone interview Saturday. _- Associated Press writer Christopher Weber contributed from Los Angeles. Article content
