Palm Springs, CA

The Palm Springs Police Department confirmed Tuesday it is aware of a recent arrest made by the FBI in connection with the May 17 suicide bombing at a local fertility clinic, which left multiple people injured and the building destroyed.

Federal authorities announced that Daniel Jongyon Park, 32, of Kent, Washington, was arrested upon arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on charges of providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists. According to the Department of Justice, Park is accused of supplying explosive materials to the suicide bomber, 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus of Twentynine Palms, California.

Guy Edward Bartkus

Bartkus died in the blast after allegedly driving a bomb-laden vehicle to the clinic, where he detonated the device. The explosion caused extensive damage to surrounding buildings and is believed to have been ideologically motivated by Bartkus’s extremist beliefs, including anti-natalism and anti-prolife views.

Park is accused of shipping nearly 270 pounds of ammonium nitrate—a chemical compound commonly used in explosives—to Bartkus in the months leading up to the attack. Authorities say Park stayed at Bartkus’s residence from late January to early February, during which time the two conducted experiments with explosive materials in a detached garage. Evidence of these activities was later uncovered at the property following the bombing.

Shortly after the attack, Park traveled to Europe and was detained in Poland on May 30. He was deported to the United States and taken into custody by federal agents upon his return.

“This defendant is charged with shipping large quantities of explosive precursors to the man whose suicide bombing last month destroyed a fertility clinic in Palm Springs,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “Domestic terrorism is evil and unacceptable. Those who aid terrorists can expect to feel the cold wrath of justice.”

The Palm Springs Police Department, while not leading the investigation, acknowledged the arrest and expressed its gratitude for the work of federal agencies. “We appreciate the ongoing work of the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force as they continue their investigation,” the department said in a statement. “Keeping our community safe is our top priority, and we will continue working closely with the FBI to make sure that happens.”

Authorities have urged the public to avoid speculation, noting that the investigation remains active and ongoing. The FBI continues to seek information related to the case and has encouraged anyone with knowledge of the incident or the individuals involved to come forward.

If convicted, Park faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Inland Empire Joint Terrorism Task Force with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Palm Springs Police Department and international partners.