WA man arrested for allegedly aiding Palm Springs fertility clinic bomber
Julia Castro
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) —A 32-year-old man has been arrested in connection with last month’s deadly car bombing outside a Palm Springs fertility clinic, federal authorities announced Wednesday.
Daniel Park, of Kent, Washington, was taken into custody late Tuesday at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, according to U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles Bill Essayli. He was charged Wednesday with providing and attempting to provide material support to a terrorist, Essayli said.
Daniel Park
He is accused of helping supply the explosive materials used in the May 17 attack on American Reproductive Centers, which federal officials have labeled an act of domestic terrorism.
Park made his initial appearance in federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday. He is set to be extradited to California.
Daniel Park courtroom sketch(Courtesy of Alba Acevedo)
The primary suspect in the bombing, 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus of Twentynine Palms, was found dead at the scene. Authorities say Park and Bartkus shared anti-natalist extremist views — a belief system opposing human reproduction — and that Park had been posting such content online since at least 2016.
Park was arrested as he returned to the United States from Poland, from which he was deported, Essayli said. Park “left the United States to go to Europe” days after the bombing.
According to Essayli, Park shipped about 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate, which is “commonly used to construct homemade bombs,” from Seattle to Bartkus’ home in Twentynine Palms and also arranged for another shipment of an additional 90 pounds.
Three days before Park arrived at Bartkus’ house, records from an AI chat app show that Bartkus researched how to make powerful explosions using ammonium nitrate and fuel, federal prosecutors said.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge in Los Angeles Akil Davis said Park was also in possession of an “explosive recipe” similar to the device used in the deadly 1995 Oklahoma City federal city bombing.
Essayli said Park “shared Bartkus’ extremist beliefs” and he visited Bartkus’s home in Twentynine Palms for about two weeks in late January and early February, “spending time together running experiments in Bartkus’ garage, where the FBI recovered large quantities of chemical precursors and laboratory equipment after the bombing.”
Two days after the bombing, Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills told News Channel 3’s Peter Daut that authorities were investigating whether someone else may have been involved, stating that he believed other people had knowledge on the plan.
“You mentioned other people who may have been involved? Peter asked Mills.
Mills answered, “This is just my personal opinion, not professional, but yeah, I believe people knew because he was on… in chat rooms. He was on YouTube, he was experimenting with explosives. Other people knew that there were all kinds of views and comments on some of those, on some of those things.”
STATEMENT FROM PALM SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Palm Springs Police Department is aware of an arrest made by the FBI in connection with the May 17 bombing incident. We appreciate the ongoing work of the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force as they continue their investigation. Our department remains fully committed to working with our federal partners. Keeping our community safe is our top priority, and we will continue working closely with the FBI to make sure that happens.
We ask our community members to avoid speculation, as this remains an active investigation. The FBI is leading the case and continues to keep us informed. We will continue to share updates with the public as information becomes available and appropriate to release.
During the explosion, at least five people were injured, and the blast caused major damage to the clinic as well as 40 other properties, with at least 8 buildings deemed unsafe to occupy. The bombing caused approximately $12 million in damages.
Thousands of embryos and eggs stored inside the facility were saved due to the quick response of emergency crews.
Officials said local law enforcement had not previously flagged either suspect. Evidence recovered from a phone at the scene showed Bartkus pacing outside the car for over 30 minutes before the explosion and speaking into the phone moments before detonation.
The investigation remains ongoing, and federal officials are asking the public to come forward with any information by calling 1-800 CALL FBI.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage on this developing story both on-air and online.