Guy Edward Bartkus: Why has Palm Springs fertility clinic bomber's house declared a ‘blast zone’?
Guy Edward Bartkus, the suspected bomber who set up a car bomb outside a IVF clinic in Palm Springs, has been identified as a resident of Southern California.
Guy Edward Bartkus, the suspected bomber who set up a car bomb outside a IVF clinic in Palm Springs, has been identified as a resident of Southern California. He killed himself and injured four others in the attack, NY Post reported, citing sources.
According to law enforcement authorities who spoke to The Post, Bartkus of Twentynine Palms is suspected of setting up an explosive device in his vehicle outside the American Reproductive Centers, which conducts egg collections and IVF treatments.
Palm Springs fertility clinic explosion: FBI raids suspect's house
Fearing that he might have left bombs behind, FBI officials surrounded his house and evacuated the area on Saturday, designating it a “blast zone,” according to ABC7.
The FBI is conducting the investigation, according to Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles Field Office. However, Davis did not specify if the search operation was directly related to the deadly explosion outside an IVF clinic in Palm Springs.
Earlier, the FBI that the suspect was the only person killed in the explosion. Armoured vehicles and tactical teams, including fully equipped bomb squad personnel, encircled the residence.
Officials shouted “fire in the hole,” which is typical during a carefully planned detonation, and those on the ground heard a huge bang, according to the station.
What we know about Guy Edward Bartkus' house
Edward Bartkus' residence is just an hour from the American Reproductive Centers, where the FBI has classified a bombing as a “intentional act of terrorism.”
Around 11 am, firefighters arrived at the reproductive health clinic following the explosion.
Photos and videos from the site showed debris and shattered glass scattered on the roadway in front of the facility.
Residents informed The Desert Sun that smoke was visible after the blast.
Police discovered two rifles, an AR-style rifle and an AK-47, along with ammo adjacent to the detonated truck, LA Times reported, citing an internal briefing.