With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
What we know about the Palm Springs bomber
A Palm Springs fertility clinic was damaged Saturday in an explosion authorities say they've tied to a 25-year old Twentynine Palms resident who is now in custody.
(
Gina Ferazzi
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
Authorities have identified Guy Edward Bartkus, a 25-year-old resident of Twentynine Palms, as the man they say is behind a car bombing in Palm Springs.
Bartkus, authorities said, was killed in the bombing. A fertility clinic nearby — believed by authorities to be his target — was badly damaged in the attack. Four people injured in the blast have been released from hospital or medical care.
Authorities said Bartkus was driving a silver Ford Fusion sedan, information they released asking for help from the public on his whereabouts ahead of the explosion. You can share information with the FBI via tips.fbi.gov or by calling (800) CALL-FBI (225-5324).
The FBI said Bartkus had not previously been on their radar, but they were working with local authorities to determine if he had other contacts with law enforcement.
Sponsored message
Guy Edward Bartkus
(
Courtesy FBI
)
The backstory
Bartkus appears to take responsibility for the attack via a website that surfaced after the bombing. Authorities referred to that "manifesto" at the news conference Sunday, saying that was how they tied him to "nihilistic" beliefs and his opposition to IVF. They also confirmed he attempted to live stream the attack.
On that site, he does not use his name in writing or in an audio file detailing his beliefs. The site also featured a FAQ explaining his intention for the attack.
-
The Long Beach City Council says these exhibitions are an outstanding danger to the public and a nuisance to neighborhoods. -
DA Nathan Hochman argued in court documents that prosecutors can’t meet the legal standard of proof needed for the officers to be convicted of a crime. -
The death toll is the highest since the agency began publicly reporting detainee deaths in 2018.
Bartkus describes himself as being “promortalist” and a “misandrist.” Promortalism has been described as the belief that it’s ethical to end suffering by ending lives.
Debris is seen outside a damaged American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic after a bomb blast near the building in Palm Springs on Saturday, May 17.
(
Gabriel Osorio
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Debris spills into the street from damage to American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic after a bomb blast near the building in Palm Springs on Saturday, May 17.
(
Gabriel Osorio
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Sponsored message
He said in the recording: "Basically I’m anti-life. And IVF is like kind of the epitome of pro-life ideology.”
“ It just comes down to I am angry that I exist, um, and that, uh, you know, nobody got my consent to bring me here, and I know what you're gonna say. How could we have got your consent because you didn't exist, blah, blah, blah.”
The person speaking appears calm. He refers to notes that he has written down, but is speaking off the cuff.
On the website, he also talks about the death of a friend he says was suicide. He and the friend, he said, shared beliefs that were “anti-sex, [Vegan Antinatalist], and negative utilitarian.”
“I've known for a few years now I wasn't going to allow myself to make it past my 20s…we had agreed that if one of us died, the other would probably soon follow,” Bartkus wrote.
He also said in the recording that he believed a more effective "right to die" in the U.S., which he also calls "a graceful way to exit," would reduce mass shootings.
Specifically he says he's against IVF clinics, which he describes as the "extremely wrong" because "these are people who are having kids after they sat there and thought about it. How stupid is that?"
Sponsored message
He calls himself "anti-life" and describes IVF as "ultimate pro-life ideology." He appears to justify any harm to IVF worker because of their involvement in the industry.
If you need help
- If you or someone you know is in crisis and need immediate help, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or go here for online chat.
- Find 5 Action Steps for helping someone who may be suicidal, from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
- Six questions to ask to help assess the severity of someone's suicide risk, from the Columbia Lighthouse Project.
- To prevent a future crisis, here's how to help someone make a safety plan.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
