A person was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City overnight related to the investigation into last month’s bombing outside a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, a U.S. official familiar with the investigation told CBS News.
The individual may have provided material support for the bombing, but it isn’t clear if they knew about the bombing. The bomber, identified by officials as 25-year-old Guy Bartkus, died in the blast. Four other people were injured in the explosion.
Police in Palm Springs said the bomber backed his Ford Fusion into a parking spot outside the clinic and the powerful explosion left a crater on the morning of May 17. The explosion could be felt more than a mile away from the blast zone, the FBI said.
Detectives believed Bartkus acted alone at the site but said they were scouring his online chats to learn whether anyone helped him buy parts or refine the design of the bomb.
Investigators said the blast pattern shows that the device was far more damaging than a low-grade explosive such as fireworks.
The FBI said Bartkus had access to a large quantity of commercially available chemical products that could be combined to create a homemade explosive device.
Bartkus was a resident of Twentynine Palms, California, home to a large Marine Corps base about an hour’s drive from Palm Springs. He stated in writings or recordings that he was against bringing people into the world against their will, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
