Officials at Palm Springs, California investigated a car explosion on Saturday morning, killing one person and damaging the fertility clinic.
The explosion happened shortly before 11:00 local time (19:00 BST) less than a mile from the center of Palm Springs, near several businesses, including US reproductive centers.
In a statement, the fertility clinic stated that none of their establishment was hurt, but that one person was killed and several were injured.
Palm Springs police confirmed the death and called the incident “deliberate action of violence”, but did not release more details.
California governor Gavin Newo said in a statement that the state was coordinating with local and federal authorities to respond to the incident.
US reproductive centers in Palm Springs said the explosion of the vehicle occurred in the parking lot near its building.
It is unclear what the cause of the explosion is.
Lieutenant Mike Vilegas of Palm Springs police told reporters on Saturday afternoon that the incident seemed “intentional”, but said he remained an active investigation.
The US lawyer at Central County of California Bill Esayli said in a publication of the X that the Ministry of Justice was “aware of the explosion that originated this morning in Palm Springs.”
He added that the FBI was also on stage and was investigating whether “it was a deliberate act.”
The fertility clinic said that their laboratory, including all eggs and embryos, remains “completely secure and untrustworthy”.
“We strongly conduct a complete safety check and confirmed that our operations and sensitive medical areas have not been affected by the explosion,” the fertility clinic said in its statement.
However, Maher Abdala, who runs the clinic, told the Associated Press that the clinic's cabinet was damaged.
“I really have no idea what happened,” he said. “Thank goodness today happened a day when we have no patients.”
According to its website, the clinic of American reproductive centers is the first full -service fertility center and an in vitro (IVF) fertilization laboratory in the Coachela Valley.
It offers services such as fertility assessments, IVF, donation and freezing of eggs, reproductive support for same -sex couples and surrogacy.
The BBC turned to Palm Springs police for further comment.