Father of California bombing suspect says son burned down their house
(KTLA) -- The FBI has identified the suspect in Saturday's terrorist bombing of the American Reproductive Centers clinic in Palm Springs, California. His father spoke to Nexstar's KTLA for the first time.
Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of Twentynine Palms, California, died when his silver Ford Fusion exploded outside the fertility clinic, tearing the building in half and shattering windows in nearby businesses and homes, according to investigators.
Detectives discovered a disturbing online manifesto and a 30-minute audio recording potentially linked to Bartkus that revealed his extremist views against in vitro fertilization.
"I'm angry that I exist and that, you know, nobody got my consent to bring me here," the man says in the recording. The author described himself as "anti-life" and stated his end goal was to "sterilize this planet of the disease of life."
Detectives said Bartkus set up a tripod and camera to document the attack, though the footage was never uploaded. Four bystanders suffered minor wounds in the explosion. Officials confirmed the clinic was closed at the time and all stored embryos remained safe.
His father, Richard Bartkus, 75, said he had not seen his son in 11 years. He described his son as someone who, at age 9, played with matches and set fire to the family home, although he was also known as a “smart, good kid.”
"After he had burned the house down, he started changing a little bit, he'd light fires," the elder Bartkus said through tears. "I was too strict for him, so he wanted to stay with Mom until the divorce came through. Mom was lenient."
The father expressed that his son was "a follower who was easily influenced by others" rather than a leader. As a teenager, Guy Bartkus was fascinated with making model rockets and smoke bombs, according to his father.
The manifesto referenced a connection to another crime — the shooting death of the suspect's best friend, identified only as Sophie, in Washington State. According to the manifesto, they shared similar disturbing views.
"We had agreed... if one of us died, the other would probably follow," the manifesto stated. Police said Sophie had convinced her boyfriend to shoot her in the head while she slept. Her boyfriend was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
Brian Levin, founder of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism and professor emeritus at Cal State San Bernardino, said the suspect appeared to be part of a growing group of radicalized lone wolves influenced by dark websites.
"We've been seeing in recent years, young adults, young males, acting out grievances as part of a broad movement sometimes or obscure ones like this anti-life movement.”
The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to examine evidence from the explosion site, and digital materials are recovered from the suspect's devices. The FBI is also searching the suspect’s home looking for potential explosive-making materials.