Suspect arrested in connection with deadly California fertility clinic bombing

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — FBI agents are seen in a photo posted to X/Twitter on May 7, 2025 by the FBI’s Miami field office

By Joseph Ax

NEW YORK  -  Federal authorities arrested a suspect overnight in connection with last month's deadly bombing at a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the matter.

The suspect, a 32-year-old man from Washington state, was taken into custody at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and will make an initial appearance in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday afternoon, the official said. He will eventually face charges in California.

The new allegations were not immediately clear. Authorities have previously said that the primary suspect in the bombing, Guy Bartkus, 25, died in the blast.

A bomb detonated shortly before 11 a.m. local time on May 17 in or near a car parked outside the clinic, operated by American Reproductive Center. In addition to Bartkus, one person was killed, and several others were injured, according to authorities.

Bartkus had "nihilistic ideations," FBI officials said at the time, adding that they were investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.

Wednesday's arrest was first reported by NBC News.

 (Reporting by Joseph Ax in New York; Editing by Frank McGurty and Chizu Nomiyama)