Suspect named, FBI seeks public’s help tracking vehicle movements in Palm Springs IVF bombing

Federal authorities are urgently asking the public for information about a silver 2010 Ford Fusion sedan with California license plate 8HWS848 seen in Palm Springs hours before Saturday’s explosion at the American Reproductive Centers building. The car was driven by a 25-year-old from Twentynine Palms — Guy Edward Bartkus — who has been identified as the suspected bomber killed in the blast.

“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 went off,” said Akil Davis, assistant director of the Los Angeles Federal Bureau of Investigation, during a Sunday morning press conference at Palm Springs police headquarters.

Davis confirmed the explosion was a “targeted attack against the IVF facility” and that the suspect had “nihilistic ideations.” Authorities are investigating a possible manifesto and believe Bartkus was attempting to livestream the explosion.

In positive news for patients of the fertility clinic, Davis announced that first responders were able to save all embryos stored at the facility.

“Due 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. “Good guys 1, bad guys 0. They understood the sensitivity and the precious nature of what was inside, and they took extreme care to ensure that there was no loss of any sensitive material.”

All four people injured in the blast have been released from hospital care, according to Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills. Details of those injuries were not made public.

The explosion, which occurred just before 11 a.m. Saturday in the 1100 block of North Indian Canyon Drive near East Tachevah Drive, created debris spanning over 250 yards in all directions from the site of the blast. Davis characterized it Sunday as “probably the largest bombing scene we’ve ever seen in Southern California,” surpassing the 2018 Aliso Viejo bombing in Orange County.

FBI agents executed a search warrant at a location in Twentynine Palms connected to the investigation, where some residents were evacuated as a precaution. Davis would not elaborate on activities at the Twentynine Palms location but said he did not believe there was “an ongoing threat to the public in the Twentynine Palms area as a result of this investigation.”

Palm Springs Mayor Pro Tem Naomi Soto addressed the attack directly: “Yesterday, Palm Springs experienced a tragedy. A person who wanted to instill fear in our community with an act of terrorism. This person may have caused damage to our buildings. But that person only managed to unite our community even more. We stand united against violence, against hate.”

Mills emphasized that Palm Springs is safe, stating, “I am absolutely confident that this city is safe. There is no continuing threat to our community as a result of this incident.”

Indian Canyon and Palm Canyon drives will remain closed as investigators continue to process the scene, which is expected to take another 24 to 36 hours. Residents who find debris from the explosion are urged to contact authorities rather than handling it themselves.

The FBI asks anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or visit this website.

The City of Palm Springs has created a special landing page on their Engage Palm Springs platform where residents can get the latest information. City officials are also working to support affected businesses and residences in the area, including expedited permits and potential loans or grants to help with recovery efforts.

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