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Authorities in California have revealed more details related to the man who carried out a deadly car bombing outside a Palm Springs fertility clinic, describing the act as a targeted act of domestic terrorism driven by extremist anti-natalist and pro-mortalist beliefs.
Some shit you should know before you read: Over the weekend, a powerful car bomb detonated outside the American Reproductive Clinic in Palm Springs, California, causing a massive explosion that damaged several surrounding buildings and sent debris flying across multiple city blocks. The blast occurred late Saturday morning, creating a percussive shockwave felt up to two miles away. Authorities reported that four people sustained minor injuries and were treated and released from medical care shortly after. Despite the intensity of the explosion, the clinic’s IVF lab—including all embryos and eggs—remained unharmed, and no staff members were injured in the incident.
Getting into it: The FBI has confirmed that Guy Edward Bartkus, a 25-year-old resident of Twentynine Palms, was responsible for the bombing outside the Palm Springs fertility clinic, describing the act as a deliberate and ideologically motivated act of domestic terrorism. Investigators say Bartkus had extremist “pro-mortalist” and “anti-natalist” beliefs, which promote the idea that life is inherently harmful and that reproduction, including assisted reproductive technologies like IVF, is unethical.
In a 30-minute audio recording and written manifesto posted online, Bartkus expressed anger over his own existence and condemned parents and fertility clinics for creating life without consent. Authorities believe he intended to livestream the explosion.
The FBI stated that Bartkus had no known ties to terrorist groups and was not previously on their radar. However, the agency confirmed that he had been radicalized online and had attempted to build a narrative around his beliefs before the attack. In addition to his digital manifesto, investigators recovered an AK-47, an AR-style rifle, and ammunition near the blast site, further highlighting the scale of planning involved. Bartkus’s vehicle—a 2010 silver Ford Fusion—was used to carry out the bombing, and surveillance footage shows him entering Palm Springs early Saturday morning, though gaps in his movements remain.
Family members of Bartkus have expressed shock and confusion in the wake of the attack. His father, Richard Bartkus, said he had not spoken to his son in over a decade and described him as a follower who was easily influenced by others. He recounted troubling behavior from Bartkus’s childhood, including an incident at age nine when he burned down the family home and later developed a fascination with smoke bombs and model rockets.
