Four people were injured and one person has died in a terrorist attack on an IVF clinic in Palm Springs, California, that occurred over the weekend.

A car exploded outside the American Reproductive Centers-Palm Springs (ARC) on Saturday, also causing severe damage to multiple buildings, according to Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills.

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Authorities have identified 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus as the primary suspect in the attack. Bartkus is believed to be the person who died in the explosion, according to ABC News.

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“The subject had nihilistic ideations, and this was a targeted attack against the IVF facility,” said Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI’s field office in Los Angeles. “Make no mistake, we are treating this… as an intentional act of terrorism.”

He also called this  “probably one of the largest bombing investigations that we’ve had in Southern California,”

Davis said investigators are still trying to piece together his whereabouts that morning and have asked anyone who saw Bartkus’s 2010 Ford Fusion in Palm Springs to please contact them.

Davis also confirmed that no gametes from the IVF facility were damaged by the explosion.

“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. “They understood the sensitivity and the precious nature that was inside and they took extreme care to ensure that there was no loss of any sensitive material.”

Authorities have swept the neighborhood for secondary devices and said they do not believe there is any more danger at this time.

In a statement posted to Facebook, the IVF center emphasized hope and assured people that no embryos were damaged in the explosion.

“Our mission has always been to help build families, and in times like these, we are reminded of just how fragile and precious life is,” the statement said. “In the face of this tragedy, we remain committed to creating hope—because we believe that healing begins with community, compassion, and care.”

“At ARC, we believe in creating life—not just in the biological sense, but in the emotional and spiritual sense, too,” the statement added. “We see this moment as a reminder to hold loved ones close, to show kindness whenever possible, and to continue our work with even more intention and heart. From adversity, we choose hope.”

California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) wrote on X that he was “horrified by the news” of the explosion and that his “heart goes out to the Palm Springs community.” He added that the California Department of Justice was in touch with law enforcement to determine if its assistance was needed in the investigation.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) also posted about the attack, saying the administration “understands that women and mothers are the heartbeat of America” and “violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable.”

Witnesses posted videos of the blast’s horrific effects.

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