A bomb exploded near a reproductive health facility in Palm Springs, California, on Saturday, killing one person and injuring at least four in an incident the FBI has labeled an “intentional act of terrorism.”
Authorities have identified a person of interest in the ongoing investigation and are not currently searching for a suspect, Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, informed reporters. He did not provide any further details regarding the person of interest.
The individual killed was located near a vehicle that was destroyed by the explosion outside the clinic, which is operated by American Reproductive Centres, Davis stated.
The bomb, which detonated before 11 am (2 pm EDT/1800 GMT), was either inside or in close proximity to a car parked outside the clinic when it exploded, according to Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte. Palm Springs is situated approximately 100 miles (160 km) east of Los Angeles.
“Make no mistake, this is an intentional act of terrorism,” Davis emphasized, adding that the FBI would be working to determine whether it was an act of “international terrorism or domestic terrorism.”
Davis declined to comment on any potential relationship between the victim and the person of interest in the investigation.
Video footage posted online showed the single-story building that houses some of the clinic’s operations. The explosion appeared to have created a large hole in one of its walls and caused damage throughout the structure.
Several other buildings in the vicinity sustained damage, some extensively, authorities reported.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the explosion, his office confirmed.
American Reproductive Centres, which has offices in at least three cities across California, offers services including in vitro fertilization, genetic testing, and in-house egg donation.
Despite the damage to the building, ARC stated that the facility is expected to be fully operational by Monday.
The clinic’s laboratory, including all eggs, embryos, and reproductive materials, remained safe and secure, and all members of staff were unharmed, the organization said in a Facebook post.
“The moment has shaken us – but it has not stopped us,” Dr. Maher Abdallah, who runs the clinic, stated in the post.
