PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – A second suspect has been arrested in connection with a car explosion outside a Palm Springs fertility clinic last month, law enforcement officials familiar with the matter said Wednesday, the Associated Press reports.
What we know:
The suspect, 32-year-old Daniel Park of Kent, Washington, was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss a criminal case that has not been publicly disclosed.
Park will appear in federal court in Brooklyn before he is transferred to California.
According to authorities, Park allegedly helped 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus obtain materials used for the device that caused the car explosion on Saturday, May 17.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Palm Springs car explosion being investigated as terrorism: 1 dead
What we don’t know:
It was not immediately clear what Park was charged with or how he was connected to the investigation.
Details about the explosives used to make the bomb and where Bartkus may have obtained them were not released.
The backstory:
The arrest stems from an apparent car bomb detonation of a fertility clinic last month. The blast gutted the American Reproductive Centers facility and shattered the windows of nearby buildings.
According to the FBI, Bartkus left behind nihilistic writings that are still being examined to determine his state of mind.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘He was anti test tube’: Father of suspect in Palm Springs fertility clinic bombing speaks out
Investigators believe Bartkus died in the explosion. A body was found near a charred vehicle outside the clinic.
Officials said at the time that they were investigating whether Bartkus had any help.
A senior FBI official called the explosion possibly the “largest bombing scene that we’ve had in Southern California.”
What’s next:
Federal prosecutors are expected to release details about the case at a news conference in Los Angeles scheduled for 9:15 a.m.
The Source: Information for this story is from the Associated Press and previous FOX 11 reports.
