Mike O’Rourke - Advance Operational Concepts

American Reproductive Centers (ARC), confirmed in a Facebook post that a vehicle exploded in the parking lot near its Palm Springs facility.

The car bombing outside a California fertility clinic that killed one person and injured four others appears to have been driven by anti-natalist ideology, according to two senior law enforcement officials briefed on the incident.

The suspect, identified by authorities as Guy Edward Bartkus, is believed to have detonated the explosive in Saturday’s attack, which claimed his own life.

Investigators are focusing on social media posts made by the suspect, including a 30-minute audio recording, which they say support anti-natalist views. While the posts and the recording are still being verified, officials believe they reflect the ideology behind the bombing. Anti-natalism refers to the belief that no one should have children.

The same person may also be linked to an online forum post from earlier this month in which the individual contemplated suicide using an explosive device, the sources said. They are also investigating a YouTube account, under the same moniker, that features videos of experiments with homemade explosives.

At a press conference on Sunday, authorities said they believe the suspect was attempting to livestream the attack and are looking into what they call a “manifesto.”  

 

The apparent target of the attack, a fertility clinic called American Reproductive Centers (ARC), confirmed in a Facebook post that a vehicle exploded in the parking lot near its Palm Springs facility.

The explosion caused damage to multiple buildings and businesses within a 250-yard blast radius, officials said. Witnesses said the blast was heard and felt miles away.The investigation is intensifying rapidly on multiple fronts, law enforcement officials told NBC News.