The FBI has announced the arrest of Daniel Park, a 32-year-old resident of Kent, Washington, in connection with the car bombing at a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, last month.
Park was taken into custody Tuesday night at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. Authorities have not yet disclosed the specific charges against him or how he is connected to the incident, which remains under investigation.
The explosion at the American Reproductive Centers on Palm Canyon Drive caused widespread destruction and chaos.
The blast, believed to have been carried out by Guy Edward Bartkus, who was also killed in the attack, devastated the clinic and shattered nearby windows.
Witnesses described a deafening boom followed by a scene of panic, with debris and glass strewn across the street. A body was discovered near a charred vehicle outside the clinic.
Officials identified Bartkus as a member of the fringe anti-natalist movement, which opposes childbirth and population growth.
They believe he targeted the clinic as an act of terrorism, attempting to livestream the explosion—an effort that ultimately failed. The clinic, which offers fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization, was severely damaged in the blast.
Investigators have not revealed whether Bartkus intended to kill himself or why he chose this specific location. A search warrant was executed in Twentynine Palms, Bartkus’ hometown, which is home to a large Marine Corps base.
Details about the explosives used remain undisclosed, but experts suggest the bomb involved high explosives like dynamite or TNT, which are difficult but not impossible for civilians to acquire.
The FBI described the incident as potentially the largest bombing scene in Southern California’s recent history. Authorities continue to piece together the motives behind the attack while pursuing leads connected to the suspect’s activities and sources of explosives.
