Father of Palm Springs bombing suspect speaks with News Channel 3

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) - Days after Saturday's bombing in Palm Springs, News Channel 3 is sitting down with the father of the suspect, Richard Bartkus.

In disbelief, he says his son, Guy Edward Bartkus, was a good and smart kid.

Despite the bombing, he believes his son meant no harm to anyone.

“I know he wouldn’t kill anybody. That's the reason I think, they want to know where he was at from 6 and 11. I know where he was at, he was checking out. Nobody else died… Guy was making sure there was no cars on Indian Canyon.”

Richard Bartkus, father

But he says looking back, there were signs something wasn't right.

An "impressionable" kid, he said one time his son burned the family house down after learning a match trick at school. He also thinks the divorce between mom and dad impacted his son greatly, admitting it was hard and involved many arguments.

During the sit-down, a sense of guilt emerged.

“Mom was a little lenient than I was. I was strict, I kept an eye on Guy... That’s probably the reason why I haven’t talked to him in the past 10 years.”

Richard Bartkus, father

Richard says he's been trying to get in contact with FBI officials and his daughter and ex-wife, who both lived with his son in Twentynine Palms.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.