FBI Arrests Second Suspect in Palm Springs IVF Clinic Bombing at New York’s JFK Airport

NEW YORK, June 4, 2025 — Federal authorities have apprehended a suspect at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, approximately 2,600 miles from Palm Springs, California, in connection with the deadly car bombing of a fertility clinic last month, sources familiar with the investigation confirmed. The arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing probe into the May 17 explosion that rocked the American Reproductive Centers, killing the primary suspect and injuring four others.

The FBI, in collaboration with Port Authority Police, arrested the unidentified individual overnight, according to two sources cited by NBC News. Investigators are examining whether this person provided materials or support for the car bomb that devastated the Palm Springs in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic, as reported by the Daily Mail. The attack, described by a senior FBI official as possibly the “largest bombing scene” in Southern California, was labeled an “intentional act of terrorism” targeting the facility that specializes in reproductive health services.

The primary suspect, 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus of Twentynine Palms, California, died in the blast when his 2010 Ford Fusion, loaded with a high-explosive device, detonated outside the clinic. The FBI identified Bartkus through DNA testing and recovered a weapon, ammunition, a tripod, and a cell phone near the vehicle’s remnants. Authorities believe Bartkus acted alone at the scene but are investigating potential accomplices who may have aided him, with the latest arrest focusing on this angle.

Bartkus, who held anti-natalist and nihilistic views opposing procreation, left behind writings and a 30-minute audio recording detailing his intent to attack the IVF clinic, according to the FBI. His manifesto and social media posts, including YouTube videos of homemade explosive tests, pointed to a deep-seated hostility toward fertility treatments, which he mischaracterized as “pro-life” in his writings. The explosion, which could be felt over a mile away, gutted the clinic’s facade and shattered nearby windows but miraculously spared the embryos stored inside, thanks to swift action by first responders.

The arrest in New York follows weeks of intensive investigation by the FBI and local law enforcement, who have been combing through Bartkus’ communications and online presence. Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills previously expressed confidence that Bartkus acted alone at the scene but emphasized the need to rule out external support through social media or other channels. The suspect’s father, Richard Bartkus, told NBC affiliate KMIR that his son had “changed dramatically” in the past year, possibly radicalized after visiting a friend in Washington, D.C., who opposed IVF.

The American Reproductive Centers, the only IVF clinic in the Coachella Valley, has since relocated to a temporary facility across the street at El Mirador Medical Plaza, resuming patient care on May 27. Dr. Maher Abdallah, the clinic’s founder, described the attack as a “series of miracles” that spared staff and patients, and even offered to pay for Bartkus’ funeral services in a gesture of forgiveness. The bombing has raised alarms about the growing threat to reproductive health facilities, with experts noting that IVF clinics, once insulated from violence targeting abortion providers, are now increasingly at risk.

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