Cliff Notes – Blast near California reproductive health clinic kills one
- An explosion at a reproductive health facility in Palm Springs resulted in one fatality and at least five injuries; local police believe it was a deliberate act of violence.
- The FBI classified the blast as an “act of terrorism” and confirmed the device was likely a bomb located near or in a vehicle.
- The clinic’s director reported that while the explosion damaged the office space, the IVF lab and stored embryos remained unharmed, with no patients present at the time.
An explosion damaged a reproductive health facility in Palm Springs in the US state of California on Saturday. Police and firefigherts responded to an explosion.
The blast resulted in the death of one person. Citing law enforcement sources and the facility, ABC News reported that at least five people were injured in the explosion.
Blast was ‘intentional’ — police
Local police said that the explosion was likely set off in a deliberate attack.
“The blast appears to be an intentional act of violence and the blast extends for blocks with several buildings damaged, some severely,” Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills said. “There has been one fatality, the person’s identity is not known.”
Meanwhile, the FBI characterized the blast as an “act of terrorism.”
“This was an intentional act of terrorism. As our investigation will unfold we will determine if it’s international terrorism or domestic terrorism,” Akil Davis, the head of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, told reporters, adding that the clinic had been deliberately targeted in the attack.
What caused the explosion in Palm Springs?
Palm Springs’ mayor said that the explosion was caused by a bomb.
“It has been identified as a bomb that was either in or near the car,” Mayor Ron DeHarte said.
The Palm Springs city government said in a Facebook post that the explosion occurred before 11 a.m. PDT (6 p.m. GMT).
The Los Angeles office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a social media post that it was investigating the explosion and had deployed bomb technicians to the scene.
What did the clinic say?
Dr. Maher Abdallah, the director of the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic, confirmed that his clinic was damaged.
In a phone interview with The Associated Press, he said that all of his staff were safe and accounted for.
“I really have no clue what happened,” Abdallah said. “Thank God today happened to be a day that we have no patients.”
The explosion damaged the office space where consultations with patients are conducted, but left the IVF lab and all of the stored embryos unharmed, Abdallah said.
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Sources
As Palm Springs reels in wake of clinic bombing, authorities name suspect and say city is safe – LA Times
FBI links California fertility clinic bombing to anti-natalist ideology – NBC News
One person dead in Palm Springs explosion called an ‘intentional act of terrorism’ – The Desert Sun