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One person is dead and four others injured after an explosion rocked a Palm Springs fertility clinic Saturday morning. FBI officials are investigating the blast as "an intentional act of terrorism."
Driving the news: The explosion occurred just before 11 a.m. at the American Reproductive Centers clinic at 1199 North Indian Canyon Dr., creating a debris field spanning over 250 yards, according to Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles office.
- Investigators would not say whether a person who died at the scene was a suspect, but did say they are "not actively searching for a suspect." Davis noted that reports of a tripod and camera found near the scene are being investigated.
- Authorities also would not confirm that a heavy law enforcement presence at a home in Twentynine Palms was related to the Palm Springs incident or the suspect.
By the numbers: The blast caused extensive damage, destroying a vehicle and blowing out windows in nearby buildings, including at Desert Regional Medical Center.
- Davis characterized the incident as "probably one of the largest bombing investigations that we've had in Southern California," comparable to the 2018 Aliso Viejo bombing.
The impact: American Reproductive Centers, the only full-service fertility clinic in the Coachella Valley, reported that no staff members were harmed and that sensitive reproductive materials remained "fully secure and undamaged."
- "This moment has shaken us — but it has not stopped us," Dr. Maher Abdallah wrote in a statement posted to social media.
Next steps: Multiple agencies, including the FBI, ATF, and local law enforcement, are processing evidence at the scene.
- Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills urged residents to report but not touch any debris found near their homes, using the non-emergency line 760-327-1441.
What they're saying: "Terrorism came knocking on the door of Palm Springs. We survived, and I can tell you that this city will rise," Mills said at a press conference.
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