PSPD Chief: Other people could face charges if they had prior knowledge of Palm Springs explosion
Update 6/4/25
A Washington state man was arrested in connection with the Palm Springs bombing.
Daniel Park, of Kent, Washington, was charged with providing and attempting to provide material support to a terrorist.
More Details: WA man arrested for allegedly aiding Palm Springs fertility clinic bomber
Original Report: 5/19/25
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - Police Chief Andy Mills told News Channel 3's Peter Daut that other people could potentially face charges if investigators learn they had some prior knowledge about the Palm Springs bomb explosion or the suspect's activities.
Even though 25-year-old Guy Bartkus of Twentynine Palms is still believed to have acted alone in the explosion, Mills says other people had not only seen but commented on some of Bartkus' online posts.
"We want to track every second of that man's behavior in our city, and now the as the tough work is still ongoing, the agents are out there right now combing through every piece of debris, making sure that we get every piece of evidence possible, and then also determine in the future if somebody else may have been involved, from the standpoint of aiding and abetting, or at least being aware of what was going to take place, we want to know about it," Mills said.
"You mentioned other people who may have been involved. What were some of the warning signs leading up to this explosion? And do you think people knew that he was going to do this?" Peter asked Mills.
"This is just my personal opinion, not professional, but yeah, I believe people knew because he was on... in chat rooms. He was on YouTube, he was experimenting with explosives. Other people knew that there were all kinds of views and comments on some of those, on some of those things," Mills answered.
We always say, if you see something, say something, and absolutely people need to. But let's take that a step further. If you see it, you own it."
- PSPD Chief Andy Mills
Mills continued, "In other words, you're just as culpable as the person who pulled the trigger or set off the bomb. If you believe something was going to take place. You saw them googling mass casualty incidents, active shooters, you know, serial killers, and you didn't speak up morally, you own this and and so people in our community and other communities. This guy wasn't from our community, but people need to speak up and be heard. That's the only way we can intervene in these things, but also get them the help they need."
Mills added that people with knowledge of the situation could face charges, depending on what they knew. The decision on charges will be up to the FBI.
Authorities said on Sunday they were examining an "anti pro-life manifesto'' believed to be authored by Barktus, who was killed in the explosion.
Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles field office, said, "The suspect had nihilistic ideations." U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli noted that the case is being treated as domestic terrorism.
The FBI has identified Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of 29 Palms as the primary suspect in the #PalmSprings vehicle explosion. The vehicle was a silver Ford Fusion sedan, plate 8HWS848. Please call 1800 CALLFBI with information or upload relevant video/images at https://t.co/CnxyRN1YIv pic.twitter.com/dYAG26xCYY
— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) May 18, 2025
An anti pro-life manifesto believed to be authored by the suspect online includes a rambling audio recording, with the author outlining his motivations and noting that "nobody got my consent" to be born. The website -- since removed from the internet -- noted that the person intended to live-stream his suicide during the bombing of an IVF clinic. FBI officials said they believe Bartkus was trying to livestream the bombing but failed.
The unsigned manifesto makes reference to an end goal to "begin the process of sterilizing this planet of the disease of life.'' It also states, "I think we need a war against pro-lifers.'' The author describes himself as a pro-mortalist, noting that "your death is already a guarantee" and "all a pro-mortalist is saying is let's make it happen sooner rather than later ... to prevent your future suffering and, more importantly, the suffering your existence will cause to all the other sentient beings."
In an interview with The New York Times, Bartkus' father, Richard, said his son would often build stink bombs as a child, was good with a firearm and liked to build rockets. He said he has not spoken to his son in about a decade.
The investigation into Saturday's explosion continues. Crews were out Monday afternoon at the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic at 1199 Indian Canyon Drive, which sustained heavy damage.
The explosion happened Saturday at around 11 a.m. Four other people were injured and have since been released from the hospital.
Images from viewers show damage at several nearby buildings, including Desert Regional Medical Center, Denny's, and Palm Springs Liquor.
In a Sunday morning news briefing, Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles field office, said authorities served a search warrant Saturday in Twentynine Palms, where some neighbors were evacuated for several days.
Davis said Bartkus was driving a 2010 silver Ford Fusion sedan with California license number 8HWS848.
The FBI has identified Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of 29 Palms as the primary suspect in the #PalmSprings vehicle explosion. The vehicle was a silver Ford Fusion sedan, plate 8HWS848. Please call 1800 CALLFBI with information or upload relevant video/images at https://t.co/CnxyRN1YIv pic.twitter.com/dYAG26xCYY
— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) May 18, 2025
"That's critical because we need the public's help in identifying the gaps in our investigation,'' Davis said. "We know where Mr. Bartkus was at about 6 a.m. We know the timeline of when he entered the city; however, we need the public's help for identifying where he traversed within the city before the explosion."
Authorities were also working to determine what type of explosives were used and where the suspect obtained them.
Davis described Saturday as an "intentional act of terrorism'' and "one of the largest bombing investigations we've had in Southern California,'' with evidence strewn for hundreds of feet around the blast.
On Sunday, Davis went a step further saying: "The is probably the largest bombing scene that we've had in Southern California. This does eclipse the bombing matter in Aliso Viejo (at a day spa in 2018); it's that big. For reference, to throw pieces of vehicle hundreds of feet in the air, and several blocks away, you can use your imagination how big that bomb device was."
Authorities reiterated Sunday that all the embryos inside the building were safe.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.
