PSPD Chief shares exclusive first close-up look at Palm Springs bomb blast zone
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - It’s now been four days since 25 year old Guy Edward Bartkus tried to blow up a Palm Springs fertility clinic in an intentional act of terrorism, and until now, the scene has only been accessible to first responders, emergency personnel, and investigators.
However, today, News Channel Three is the first local station to get a look inside the Palm Springs bomb blast zone. News Channel 3's Tori King got special permission to enter the area, escorted by Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills and Lieutenant Mike Villegas.
Although a lot of the scene has been cleaned up since Saturday, a lot of shrapnel and debris from the blast littered the parking lot. During the tour, News Channel 3 learned that Chief Mills was off duty the day of the blast. In fact, Mills was out playing pickleball nearby when the explosion went off. Mills, hearing and feeling the blast, immediately ran towards the scene, arriving mere minutes after the bomb went off. The second he arrived, Mills said he knew this was not a typical call.
"Based on the debris and the pock marking on the walls, the cracks in the buildings, I realized this was a big device," said Mills, describing the scene. "It seemed more like Beirut than it did Palm Springs."
Mills also said the phone lines were clogged with hundreds of calls coming in throughout the day.
Despite the danger, Mills went in to investigate without hesitation, still in his ball cap, sneakers, and t-shirt from playing pickleball. "In my mind, when you see a explosion that large, with the plume that I could see and feel from my house, then you have to start thinking to yourself, what exactly happened here," said Mills. "Any critical incident like this is chaotic. What you're doing is you're coming in, there's smoke billowing, there's debris all across the street. You have little time to figure out what actually happened but you have to try."
Mike Villegas, a Lieutenant at the PSPD says seeing Mills charge into the unknown as Chief was inspiring.
"I mean, this man is a leader," said Villegas. "He has always been so humble. I just learned he showed up in his pickle ball clothes, right? I didn't realize he actually ran in here looking for people to see if they were hurt. Chief Mills, in that moment, showed true leadership and why we serve our community. Still active scene, chaotic scene, and he's looking to save people's lives running into the scene to see if he can help in any way. Again, with that type of leadership, you will follow that man into war. So for me again, I couldn't be proud of our department, all our officers, our staff, our community, for their support."
"Obviously there's a lot of stuff on fire," said Mills, describing the first moments on scene. "And there's no other half of the car, other than big pieces of shrapnel all over the place. And I thought, okay, cars don't explode on their own. And so what was the cause? How big was it? Those kind of things? Immediately you go into the mode of what's next? Our rule of thumb is, if there's one device, there could be two. And so the last thing I want to do is get all the other people here injured or hurt."
Mills also showed News Channel 3 the exact spot that investigators believe Bartkus parked his car before the blast. The only thing left in its place: a crater, nearly five feet in diameter.
"Chunks of metal were literally all over the street," said Mills. "It was blown in a variety of places. So what happened is, as part of the evidence collection process, you start looking for pieces of evidence. And these are the big chunks. There were lots of chunks that were just, you know, the size of your hand, all over the place. And so collecting those and the body parts were strewn over a 300 yard radius."
When asked about the type of bomb used, Mills explained it wasn't just a measly home-made explosive.
“This isn't your your light fireworks, in the trunk of the car and it caught the gas tank on fire," said Mills. "No. This was a purposeful, intentional act of violence. To destroy the building, to to harm, embryos, it was sophisticated. And it blew the car blew in two.”
In the aftermath of it all, Mills says he's thankful for his local emergency partners, and federal investigators who all played critical roles in piecing together the incident, and ensuring the safety of the community.
"You know, our team is exceptional," said Mills. "And when you have people leaving their homes, looking at their children and their mates and coming to work and recognizing the uncertainty of what's taking place, but know that that is their job and their responsibility without hesitation, that's what we want to celebrate. Their bravery."
The American Reproductive Center sustained severe damage after a vehicle exploded just outside. The suspected bomber, Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of Twentynine Palms, was killed, four other people were injured.
The site will remain off-limits to the public for an unknown period of time. Investigators ask that the community still avoid the area for now.
