Guy Edward Burtos, the man behind the car bomb explosion outside the Palm Springs IVF Clinic over the weekend, had a troubling history, as revealed by his father. Richard Burtos shared with KTLA that when Guy was just nine, he inadvertently set their family home on fire.
His father noted that Guy, who had always been playful as a child, developed a fascination with making smoke bombs later on. “After he burned the house, he started to change a bit and he set a light fire,” Richard remarked, visibly distressed.
Guy, 25, identified as the Palm Springs IVF Clinic bomber, reportedly had a deep interest in smoke bombs and model rockets during his teenage years, according to his father.
These comments came after it was confirmed that Guy carried out the bombing at the reproductive center, an act that resulted in his death and injured four others.
Richard reflected on his relationship with his son, mentioning he hadn’t spoken to him in a decade, describing Guy as a “foreign follower of others.” He added that Guy’s mother, whom he divorced, was quite generous toward their son.
“I was tough on him, so he leaned toward Mom until the divorce came,” Richard recounted.
Following the explosion, residents reported seeing smoke and noted a peculiar smell in the air, attributed to the incident. Armored vehicles and tactical teams were deployed around Burtos’ residence for safety measures.
Guy appeared to attempt a live stream of the explosion, sharing views associated with a group he referred to as “multalists” and suggesting he condemned people to a world without their consent, according to federal authorities. Investigations are ongoing regarding how Burtos constructed the bomb.
