Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills said the explosion “seems like an intentional act of violence.”
At least one person was killed after an explosion near a reproductive therapy facility in Palm Springs, California, according to the mayor.
Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills said Friday’s explosion “seems like an intentional act of violence” and that several buildings were damaged.
“There is one fatal thing, and the person’s identity is unknown,” Mills’ statement said.
Mayor Ron Dejarte said the bomb was in or near a car parked outside the clinic when the bomb exploded, Reuters reported.
Palm Springs Fire Chief Paul Alvarado said no suspects were identified.
Authorities said the explosion occurred at 11am on Saturday (local time (18:00 GMT) near North India Canyon Drive and East Tacheva Drive). Police urged residents to avoid the area as firefighters and investigators secured the scene.
Federal agents of the FBI and Alcohol Bureau, Alcohol Bureau, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been dispatched to assist with field investigations.
The explosion damaged a reproductive center facility in the United States, a fertility clinic run by Dr. Maher Abdallah. He told The Associated Press that his office space was damaged, but the Vitro Fertilization (IVF) lab and its stored embryos were not touched.
“I really have no clue what happened,” Abdallah said. “Thank God today. It happened to be a day when there were no patients.”
He added that all his staff are safe and explained.
Nimatabritsi, who lives near the 37-year-old Santa Monica, said he was inside a cannabis clinic when he felt the building had shaken.
“The building has just shaking, we’re out and the clouds are getting bigger,” Tabrizi said. “A crazy explosion. It felt like a bomb had sounded… We went to the scene and saw the human body.”
Palm Springs, a wealthy desert city known for its luxury resorts and celebrity history, is located about 100 miles (161km) east of Los Angeles.