At least one person was killed in an explosion Saturday morning near a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, authorities said.
A law enforcement official told CBS News that at least five others were injured.
Palm Springs city officials said in a Facebook post that the blast occurred just before 11 a.m. local time at North Indian Canyon Drive, near East Tachevah Drive, a stretch that has several healthcare facilities.
In a statement, Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills said the vehicle explosion “appears to be an intentional act of violence.”
Mills said that the blast field extended several blocks and severely damaged some nearby buildings. The police chief added that the explosion originated at 1199 N. Indian Canyon Dr., the address listed for the local IVF clinic, American Reproductive Centers.
On its Facebook page, American Reproductive Centers wrote that a “vehicle exploded in the parking lot near our building.”
Nima Tabrizi via AP
The clinic said several people were injured in the explosion, but officials have not confirmed that. It added that no clinic employees were injured in the blast.
“Our lab—including all eggs, embryos, and reproductive materials—remains fully secure and undamaged,” the clinic also wrote.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office issued a statement saying that he had been “briefed on the explosion at a health facility in Palm Springs.”
“I’ve been briefed on the explosion near a fertility clinic in Palm Springs,” Newsom wrote on X. “Jen and I are keeping everyone affected in our hearts. The state is working closely with local and federal authorities as the investigation unfolds. Please avoid the area.”
In separate emails sent to CBS News, the FBI and ATF stated they are sending agents to help with the investigation.
“The Trump administration understands that women and mothers are the heartbeat of America,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X. “Violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.