LOS ANGELES — One person is dead after a automobile exploded in Palm Springs, California, in what officials said was an “intentional act of violence.”
Five people were injured, two law enforcement sources acquainted with the investigation told NBC News. The character and seriousness of the injuries weren’t disclosed.
Several buildings were damaged, some severely, Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills said on Facebook, noting that the “blast field” stretched blocks.
“This was a strong explosion,” a law enforcement source acquainted with the investigation said.
The identity of the deceased person and their involvement within the explosion will not be yet known. Mills said the incident appears to be isolated.
The blast occurred at 1199 North Indian Canyon Dr., Mills said, at around 11 a.m., in accordance with the town. The road is home to a lot of medical facilities, including Desert Regional Medical Center.
There isn’t a information yet on a possible motive, including whether a close-by fertility clinic was targeted.
What appears to be the fertility clinic, American Reproductive Centers (ARC), said on Facebook that a automobile exploded within the parking zone near its constructing. Nobody who works at the middle was harmed.
Mills urged residents to depart potential evidence in place and to call police on a nonemergency number to report it. Town of Palm Springs said residents should steer clear of the realm to permit emergency crews to do their work.
The lab at ARC, which houses all eggs, embryos and reproductive materials, was not damaged, the clinic said on social media.
“We’re heavily conducting a whole safety inspection and have confirmed that our operations and sensitive medical areas weren’t impacted by the blast,” ARC said.
The clinic said it can be “fully operational” Monday morning.
The FBI’s Los Angeles bureau said on X it’s responding to the explosion, with investigators, bomb technicians and an evidence response team on scene. Mills said the Palm Springs Police Department is working closely with the FBI.
The Los Angeles office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting within the investigation, the bureau said on X.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the explosion, his office said.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi has also been briefed on the incident, she said on X.
“We’re working to learn more, but let me be clear: the Trump administration understands that girls and moms are the heartbeat of America,” Bondi said. “Violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable.”
Videos posted to social media and verified by NBC News captured the force of the blast. Multiple businesses had their windows blown out and suffered other structural damage. Firefighters were seen within the videos dragging hoses into buildings.
Images on social media also showed clouds of smoke rising from the realm, appearing to focus on the medical institution where the explosion occurred.
This can be a developing story. Please check back for updates.
