A Washington state man facing serious terrorism charges related to the bombing of a fertility clinic in Palm Springs has died in a federal detention facility in Los Angeles. Daniel Park, 32, was found unresponsive in his cell at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, according to officials. The Department of Justice reported that responding employees initiated life-saving measures, and emergency medical services were called. Park was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased by hospital personnel.
Park had been in federal custody since his arrest at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York earlier this month. He was charged with providing and attempting to provide material support to a terrorist. Authorities accused him of assisting Guy Edward Bartkus in securing 270 pounds of ammonium nitrate, a precursor to explosives that can be used in homemade bombs. Bartkus, 25, is suspected of detonating a bomb at the American Reproductive Centers on May 17, which resulted in his death and injuries to four others. The explosion created a debris field extending across 250 yards.
Following the bombing, authorities reported that Park fled the U.S. for Europe. Polish law enforcement eventually apprehended him and deported him back to the United States, where he was taken into custody upon his arrival in New York. According to an FBI affidavit, Park attempted to harm himself when confronted by Polish authorities. After making his initial court appearance in federal court in Brooklyn, he was transferred to Los Angeles for further proceedings.
Park was alleged to have shipped about 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate in January and later paid for an additional 90 pounds of the chemical to be sent to Bartkus in the days leading up to the Palm Springs attack. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, revealed that Park spent two weeks visiting Bartkus in Twentynine Palms in late January and early February.
In a federal criminal complaint, it was noted that three days before Park's arrival at Bartkus' residence, Bartkus had researched how to create powerful explosions using ammonium nitrate and fuel. Together, they allegedly conducted experiments in Bartkus' garage, where the FBI later recovered significant quantities of chemical precursors and laboratory equipment after the bombing.
FBI Assistant Director for Los Angeles, Akil Davis, stated that Park shared similar ideologies with Bartkus and had expressed these beliefs on internet forums dating back to 2016. Bartkus was characterized by law enforcement as having “antinatalist” ideations, arguing that procreation without the unborn's consent is unethical in a world grappling with environmental issues, violence, and overpopulation. Davis highlighted that Park’s social media posts indicated he was attempting to recruit others who shared similar ideologies.
Search warrants executed at Park’s residence in Kent, Washington, following the bombing led agents to identify his involvement in the explosion. Davis reported that six packages of ammonium nitrate were shipped from Park in Seattle to Bartkus, and officials are currently awaiting the results of an analysis of the explosive precursor chemicals sent from Park.
The FBI described the Palm Springs blast as “probably the largest bombing scene that we’ve had in Southern California,” surpassing the 2018 bombing of a day spa in Aliso Viejo. Law enforcement sources indicated that the substantial amount of explosives used caused such destruction that Bartkus' remains were shredded. Furthermore, explosive materials were recovered from Bartkus’ home, revealing his proficiency in assembling explosive devices, as he was a longtime rocket builder.
Investigators have been examining the online activities of Bartkus to gain insights into his motives. A website dedicated to the Palm Springs bombing features a 30-minute recording that was uploaded around the time of the explosion and promises a video of the blast that was never posted. Additionally, YouTube videos under an alias associated with Bartkus and threads on Reddit and a suicide forum provide further context. Bartkus expressed despair over the death of a close friend, Sophie, who advocated for radical feminism and veganism.
After the bombing, authorities recovered a cellphone from Bartkus that was set up to record the event. An affidavit from FBI Special Agent Andrew Bland detailed that the cellphone contained an image of the car parked outside the fertility clinic before the bombing, labeled “Promortalism.” Bartkus had posted an audio-recorded manifesto, a countdown to the bombing, and information acknowledging that the act would cause destruction and potentially death.
