Latest news with #carbombing
BreakingNews.ie
6 days ago
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
FBI arrests man over explosion at California fertility clinic
The FBI has arrested a man on charges linked to last month's car bombing of a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, law enforcement officials said. The man, Daniel Park, 32, a resident of Kent, Washington, was arrested on Tuesday night at John F Kennedy Airport in New York, one of the officials said. Advertisement It was not immediately clear what Park was charged with or how he was connected to the investigation. The attack on the fertility clinic was said to have been carried out by Guy Edward Bartkus, who was killed in the explosion, according to the FBI. Officials said at the time they were investigating whether Bartkus had any help. Police tape near the site of the explosion in Palm Springs (Eric Thayer/AP) Federal prosecutors are expected to release details at a news conference in Los Angeles. The arrest was first reported by NBC News. The law enforcement officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss a criminal case that has not been publicly disclosed. Authorities have described Bartkus as a member of the anti-natalist movement, a fringe group that opposes childbirth and population growth and believes people should not continue to procreate. Advertisement Officials said he intentionally targeted the fertility clinic as an act of terrorism. He tried to livestream the explosion, but the attempt failed, the FBI says. The blast gutted the American Reproductive Centre's fertility clinic in Palms Springs and shattered the windows of nearby buildings along a palm tree-lined street. Witnesses described a loud boom followed by a chaotic scene, with people screaming in terror and glass strewn along the pavement and street. A body was found near a charred vehicle outside the clinic. Investigators have not said if he intended to kill himself in the attack or why he chose the specific facility. The clinic provides services to help people get pregnant, including in vitro fertilisation and fertility evaluations. Advertisement Authorities executed a search warrant in Bartkus's hometown of Twentynine Palms, a city north-east of Palm Springs with a large US Marine Corps base. Authorities have not shared specifics about the explosives used to make the bomb and where Bartkus may have obtained them. A senior FBI official called the explosion possibly the 'largest bombing scene that we've had in Southern California'. Scott Sweetow, a retired ATF explosives expert, said the amount of damage caused indicated that the suspect used a 'high explosive' similar to dynamite and TNT rather than a 'low explosive' such as gun powder. Advertisement Those types of explosives are normally difficult for civilians to access, but increasingly people are finding ways to concoct explosives at home, he said. The images of the aftermath also showed that the explosion appeared to blow from the street straight through the building and to the parking lot on the other side, something that could have been intentional or pure luck, Mr Sweetow said. A part of the car was also blown through the building and landed at the back.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Man linked to fatal bombing of Palm Springs fertility clinic arrested
The FBI has arrested a man on charges linked to last month's car bombing of a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, three law enforcement officials said on Wednesday. The man, Daniel Park, a 32-year-old resident of Kent, Washington, was arrested on Tuesday night at the John F Kennedy airport in New York, one of the officials said. It was not immediately clear what Park was charged with or how he was connected to the investigation. Authorities believe the bomber died in the blast. Federal prosecutors are expected to release details at a news conference in Los Angeles. The arrest was first reported by NBC News. The law enforcement officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss a criminal case that has not been publicly disclosed. The attack on the fertility clinic was carried out by Guy Edward Bartkus, who was also killed in the explosion, according to the FBI. Officials said at the time they were investigating whether Bartkus had any help. Authorities have described Bartkus as a member of the anti-natalist movement, a fringe group that opposes childbirth and population growth and believes people should not continue to procreate. Officials said he intentionally targeted the fertility clinic as an act of terrorism. He tried to livestream the explosion, but the attempt failed, the FBI says. The blast gutted the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic in Palms Springs and shattered the windows of nearby buildings along a palm tree-lined street. Witnesses described a loud boom followed by a chaotic scene, with people screaming in terror and glass strewn along the sidewalk and street. A body was found near a charred vehicle outside the clinic. Investigators have not said if he intended to kill himself in the attack or why he chose the specific facility. The clinic he attacked provides services to help people get pregnant, including in vitro fertilization and fertility evaluations. Authorities executed a search warrant in Bartkus's home town of Twentynine Palms, a city of 28,000 residents north-east of Palm Springs with a large US Marine Corps base. Authorities have not shared specifics about the explosives used to make the bomb and where Bartkus may have obtained them. A senior FBI official called the explosion possibly the 'largest bombing scene that we've had in southern California'. Scott Sweetow, a retired ATF explosives expert, said the amount of damage caused indicated that the suspect used a 'high explosive' similar to dynamite and TNT rather than a 'low explosive' like gun powder. Those types of explosives are normally difficult for civilians to access, but increasingly people are finding ways to concoct explosives at home, he said. 'Once you know the chemistry involved, it's pretty easy to get stuff,' Sweetow said. 'The ingredients you could get at a grocery store.' The images of the aftermath also showed that the explosion appeared to blow from the street straight through the building and to the parking lot on the other side, something that could have been intentional or pure luck, Sweetow said. A part of the car was also blown through the building and landed in the back by a dumpster.
Fox News
6 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Man allegedly connected to California fertility clinic bomber arrested at JFK: source
An individual allegedly linked to the primary suspect in a car bombing outside a Palm Springs fertility clinic has been arrested, Fox News has learned. The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Daniel Park, was arrested at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City overnight and is set to appear in a Brooklyn federal court Wednesday afternoon before being extradited to California, according to a law enforcement source. The FBI and Port Authority Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Last month, a 26-year-old suspect was identified as the perpetrator behind the bombing outside the American Reproductive Centers facility. Four people were injured and the primary suspect was killed in the blast. Surveillance footage and online postings show the primary suspect parking behind the building before ingesting drugs and detonating the explosive device. The primary suspect targeted the center in an attempt to destroy human embryos stored on-site after being motivated by a fringe "pro-mortalism" ideology movement. "Pro-mortalism" views human reproduction as immoral while believing death is preferable to life. The FBI has classified the bombing as an act of domestic terrorism while pointing to the suspect's ideological motivation as the cause for the violence. The organization previously confirmed none of the embryos were harmed in the attack. "I received a call saying there was a massive explosion that destroyed a couple of our buildings," the American Reproductive Centers wrote on Facebook after the attack. "My biggest concern was obviously my staff and the embryos we have in storage," said Dr. Maher Abdallah, the clinic's director. "Fortunately for us, our staff was unharmed and the IVF lab is intact, untouched, unharmed. The embryos are safe."
Sky News
24-05-2025
- Sky News
FBI names suspect in California fertility clinic bombing as Guy Edward Bartkus
The FBI has named the suspect in the car bombing of a fertility clinic in California as 25-year-old 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.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
4 Chechen officers killed in car bombing in Russian-occupied part of Kherson Oblast, Ukraine's HUR claims
Four Chechen officers from Russian-backed Akhmat unit were killed in a car bombing near the occupied city of Skadovsk in Kherson Oblast on May 20, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) claimed on May 22. According to HUR, the car exploded between Skadovsk and Antonivka in the occupied part of Kherson Oblast. Skadovsk, a city with a pre-war population of 17,000, lies on the Black Sea coast. Russia has occupied it since March 2022. The first blast was followed by more explosions, as the officers were allegedly transporting ammunition that detonated, HUR said. While Ukrainian intelligence did not explicitly claim responsibility for the incident, it said that "there will be just retribution for every war crime committed against the Ukrainian people." The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims. Russian officials, their proxies, and collaborators have been routinely targeted in both occupied parts of Ukraine and inside Russia. Kyiv does not typically comment on the attacks or claim responsibility. Read also: 47th Brigade battalion commander's resignation puts Ukraine's military leadership under new scrutiny We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
