Palm Springs - (Saba):
One person was killed when an explosive device exploded outside an assisted reproductive technology clinic in Palm Springs, California, in what the FBI described as a "terrorist attack."
"This is a deliberate act of terrorism," FBI Los Angeles Field Office Chief Akil Davis told reporters. "This could be one of the largest bombing investigations we've ever conducted in Southern California."
Davis confirmed that one person who was near the clinic at the time of the explosion was killed, and four others were injured. He added that the identity of the deceased is still being determined.
Mayor Ron DeHart told Agence France-Presse that investigators had confirmed that "an explosive device inside or near a vehicle parked on the premises" caused the explosion.
Witnesses told local media they saw human remains near the clinic, while aerial footage showed the building's roof collapsing.
The explosion rocked downtown Palm Springs, causing extensive damage to the clinic and shattering windows and doors in nearby buildings.
Debris from the building was scattered and fell onto the road, while roofs of several nearby buildings were damaged, indicating the force of the blast.
Davis described the explosion as "significant" and said debris was scattered more than 180 meters from the scene, but declined to comment on the characteristics of the bomb. Local ABC News quoted an unnamed law enforcement source as saying that the person killed was the suspected bomber.
Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed via Twitter that he had been briefed by the relevant authorities on the explosion and urged residents not to travel to the area.
The FBI said its officers, police, and firefighters responded to the scene, and that it had dispatched several investigators and "explosives technicians."
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