周日，加州棕榈泉一家生育诊所外发生的致命汽车爆炸案的主要嫌疑人已被当局确认，他们说爆炸的目标是体外受精诊所。
据负责美国联邦调查局洛杉矶办事处的助理主任Akil Davis在周日下午的新闻发布会上说，嫌疑人是25岁的盖伊·爱德华·巴特库斯，住在距离棕榈泉约50英里的Twentynine Palms。
据信Bartkus是被发现死在被引爆的汽车旁边的人，戴维斯说，至少有四人在周六早上的爆炸中受伤。
“受试者有虚无主义的想法，这是对体外受精设施的有针对性的攻击，”戴维斯说。“毫无疑问，正如我昨天所说的，我们将此视为蓄意的恐怖主义行为。”
戴维斯说，调查人员已经对巴特库斯的家发出了搜查令，并在周日继续搜查住所。调查人员还梳理了巴特库斯的著作，包括戴维斯所说的“宣言”，以及他的社交媒体帖子。
根据戴维斯的说法，调查人员认为巴特库斯试图直播爆炸事件。
戴维斯说巴特库斯驾驶的是一辆银色2010款福特Fusion轿车。他要求任何在棕榈泉看到这辆车的人联系调查人员，调查人员仍在试图填补巴特库斯在该市活动的空白。
戴维斯说，调查人员已经确定了巴特库斯周六早上6点的行踪以及他进入这座城市的时间，但他的一些行动仍在调查中。
戴维斯说，爆炸震碎了窗户，碎片散落在各个方向。
棕榈泉警察局长安迪·米尔斯在周日的新闻发布会上说，在爆炸中受伤的四人已经全部出院。
据当局称，当地时间周六上午11点左右，棕榈泉印第安峡谷大道(Indian Canyon Drive)1300号街区发生爆炸，震动了附近的建筑，导致火灾和一栋建筑倒塌。废墟覆盖了250多码。
“由于棕榈泉消防局1站、棕榈泉警察局以及美国联邦调查局炸弹技术人员的速度和专业精神，我们能够在这个机构保存所有的胚胎，”Davis说。“他们理解里面的敏感性和珍贵性，他们非常小心地确保没有任何敏感材料丢失。”
目击者尼玛·大不里士周日早上告诉美国广播公司新闻，他和他的女朋友在棕榈泉度假，在离试管婴儿诊所约200码的一家商店里，他们听到了“大爆炸”
“我们就像，等一下，那是什么?”大不里士说。“接下来我们知道的是，我们向右看，看到一大群人指指点点，拿出他们的相机。我们看到一团烟雾。”
大不里士说，爆炸听起来像“音爆”，起初他以为发生了飞机坠毁。他说他和他的女朋友住在离试管婴儿诊所大约100码的出租屋里。
大不里士说，他和他的女朋友上了车，向爆炸的方向开去。
“到达后，我们看到地上有看起来像人类遗骸的东西，我们马上停在试管婴儿诊所后面，我们看到消防队员正在灭火，似乎是汽车，”大不里士说，并补充说试管婴儿诊所旁边的一家酒类商店的所有窗户都被炸飞，试管婴儿诊所的前面完全被炸飞。
“这是一个相当疯狂的情况，”大不里士说。“不知道到底发生了什么，是否会有更多的事情发生;只是保持冷静，保持镇定，只是非常清楚我周围的环境。老实说，我并不害怕，因为当我们接近它时，我觉得最坏的事情已经发生了。”
大不里士补充道，“我们是来度假放松的，结果却遭遇了国内恐怖袭击。我不想参与其中。”
爆炸发生后，当局关闭了几条街道，并敦促居民远离，因为调查人员正在寻找任何其他爆炸装置。
局长安迪·米尔斯在晚间新闻发布会上告诉记者，“我们的调查进展迅速，有一个大规模的犯罪现场。”“我们的首要任务是确保我们社区的安全。我们非常担心二次设备，所以我们花了很多时间和精力与局里以及警长办公室合作，清理整个社区，确保没有任何东西会进一步伤害我们的公民。”
他补充道，“这将需要一丝不苟的努力，以确保我们获得每一件证据。”
美国联邦调查局炸弹技术人员正在努力确定爆炸的来源。
米尔斯在周日的新闻发布会上说，当局不认为棕榈泉或29棕榈有持续的威胁。
美国联邦调查局的戴维斯说，这次爆炸“可能是我们在南加州进行的最大规模的爆炸调查之一”，将其与2018年Aliso Viejo day spa的爆炸案相提并论，那次爆炸造成一人死亡，两人重伤。
米尔斯说，他对他所谓的“对我们城市的袭击”感到难过，但他也表示充满希望。
“恐怖主义敲响了棕榈泉的大门。我们活了下来，我可以告诉你，这座城市将会崛起，”他说。
司法部长帕姆·邦迪在X上发表了一份声明，称她已经了解了情况。
“联邦探员已经在现场和当地执法部门一起做出了回应。我们正在努力了解更多，”她说，并补充说，“针对生育诊所的暴力行为是不可原谅的。”
爆炸附近的生育诊所棕榈泉美国生殖中心(American Reproductive Centers of Palm Springs)在一份声明中表示，其工作人员以及卵子、胚胎和生殖材料在爆炸中没有受到伤害。
“今天早上，我们棕榈泉工厂外发生了一起意外的悲剧事件，一辆汽车在我们大楼附近的停车场爆炸。ARC在一份声明中说:“得知这一事件造成人员伤亡，我们非常难过，我们向受影响的个人和家庭致以最深切的慰问。”。
“ARC将于周一上午全面投入运营，我们的团队将随时为您解答任何疑问。我们感谢患者和当地社区的大力支持，以及棕榈泉警方、消防队和应急人员的迅速行动。这一刻震撼了我们——但并没有阻止我们。ARC在一份声明中说，我们将继续用力量、爱和希望为世界带来新的生命。
加州州长加文·纽瑟姆也听取了关于爆炸的简报。
纽瑟姆办公室在一份声明中说:“加州通过[加州州长紧急服务办公室]，正在与地方和联邦当局协调，以支持应对措施。”。
除了美国联邦调查局之外，ATF还表示将向棕榈泉派遣资源进行协助，包括炸弹专家和火灾调查人员。
Suspect identified in deadly blast outside Palm Springs fertility clinic, per FBI
The primary suspect in a fatal car bombing that occurred outside a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, was identified by authorities on Sunday, who said the explosion targeted the in vitro fertilization clinic.
The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus of Twentynine Palms, about 50 miles from Palm Springs, according to Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, during a Sunday afternoon press conference.
Bartkus is believed to be the person found dead next to the detonated vehicle, Davis said At least four other people were injured in the Saturday-morning blast.
“The subject had nihilistic ideations, and this was a targeted attack against the IVF facility," Davis said. "Make no mistake, we are treating this, as I said yesterday, as an intentional act of terrorism."
Davis said investigators have served a search warrant on Bartkus' home and were continuing to search the residence on Sunday. Investigators were also combing through Bartkus' writings, including what Davis described as a "manifesto," and his social media posts.
Investigators believe that Bartkus attempted to livestream the bombing, according to Davis.
Davis said Bartkus was driving a silver 2010 Ford Fusion sedan. He asked that anyone who saw the vehicle in Palm Springs contact investigators, who are still trying to fill gaps in Bartkus' movements in the city.
Investigators have pinpointed Bartkus' whereabouts as of 6 a.m. on Saturday and the time he entered the city, but some of his movements remain under investigation, according to Davis.
The blast shattered windows and scattered debris in all directions, Davis said.
The four people injured in the explosion have all been released from the hospital, said Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills at the Sunday press conference.
The explosion in the 1300 block of Indian Canyon Drive in Palm Springs occurred at about 11 a.m. local time Saturday, rocking nearby buildings and leading to a fire and the collapse of a building, according to authorities. The debris field covered over 250 yards.
"Do to the speed and professionalism of the Palm Springs Fire Department Station 1, the Palm Springs Police Department, as well as the FBI bomb technicians, we were able to save all of the embryos at this facility," Davis said. "They understood the sensitivity and the precious nature that was inside and they took extreme care to ensure that there was no loss of any sensitive material."
Witness Nima Tabrizi told ABC News on Sunday morning that he and his girlfriend were in Palm Springs on vacation and were at a shop about 200 yards from the IVF clinic when they heard a "big boom."
"We were like, wait a minute, what was that?" said Tabrizi. "The next thing we know, we look to the right and see a whole bunch of people pointing, bringing out their cameras. We see a cloud of smoke."
Tabrizi said the blast sounded like a "sonic boom" and at first he thought a plane crash had occurred. He said he and his girlfriend were staying at a rental house located about 100 yards from the IVF clinic.
Tabrizi said he and his girlfriend got in their car and drove in the direction of the explosion.
“Upon arriving, we see what looked like human remains on the ground and we pull over right away right behind the IVF clinic and we see firefighters putting out a fire which appears to be the car," said Tabrizi, adding that a liquor store next to the IVF clinic had all it's windows blown out and that the front of the IVF clinic was completely blown out.
"It was a pretty wild situation," Tabrizi said. "Didn’t know exactly what was going on, if there was going to be more that would transpire after; just kind of kept it calm, kept it collected, just was very aware of my surroundings. To be honest, I wasn’t that scared because I felt the worst had happened as we approached it."
Tabrizi added, "We came for vacation to relax and ended up in a domestic terror attack. Not something I wanted to be a part of."
In the aftermath of the blast, authorities closed several streets and urged residents to stay away as investigators searched for any other explosive devices.
"We have a rapidly evolving investigation with a massive crime scene," Chief Andy Mills told reporters during the evening news conference. "Our first priority was to ensure the safety of our community. And we were very concerned about secondary devices, and so we spent a lot of time and effort working with the bureau, as well as the sheriff's office, clearing the entire neighborhood, making sure that there was nothing that could harm our citizens any further."
He added, "It'll take a meticulous effort to make sure that we get every piece of evidence."
FBI bomb technicians are now working to determine the origin of the blast.
Mills said during Sunday's news conference that authorities do not believe there is an ongoing threat to Palm Springs or Twentynine Palms.
Davis, with the FBI, said the blast was "probably one of the largest bombing investigations that we've had in Southern California," comparing it to the 2018 bombing of an Aliso Viejo day spa that killed one person and severely injured two other people.
Mills said he is saddened by what he called "an attack on our city," but said he is also hopeful.
"Terrorism came knocking on the door of Palm Springs. We survived, and I can tell you that this city will rise," he said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi released a statement on X stating that she had been briefed on the situation.
"Federal agents are on the ground now responding alongside local law enforcement. We are working to learn more," she said, adding, "Violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable."
The fertility clinic near the blast, the American Reproductive Centers of Palm Springs, said in a statement that its staff members, as well as eggs, embryos and reproductive materials, were unharmed in the blast.
"This morning, an unexpected and tragic incident occurred outside our Palm Springs facility when a vehicle exploded in the parking lot near our building. We are heartbroken to learn that this event claimed a life and caused injuries, and our deepest condolences go out to the individuals and families affected," the ARC said in a statement.
"ARC will be fully operational on Monday morning, and our team is here to answer any concerns you may have. We appreciate the incredible support from our patients and local community, as well as the swift action of Palm Springs Police, Fire, and emergency responders. 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,' ARC said in a statement.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom was also briefed on the explosion.
"The state, through [California Governor's Office of Emergency Services], is coordinating with local and federal authorities to support the response," Newsom's office said in a statement.
In addition to the FBI, the ATF said it is also sending resources to Palm Springs to assist, including bomb techs and fire investigators.
