this post was submitted on 19 May 2025
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104
California bombing suspect once burned family house down, was ‘easily influenced,’ dad says (www.huffpost.com)
submitted 1 week ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world
8 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

The father of the 25-year-old man suspected of bombing a Southern California reproductive clinic says his son was a smart but easily influenced child who once set their house on fire while playing with matches.

Guy Edward Bartkus, who authorities believe was the lone person killed in Saturday’s Palm Springs blast, had a fascination with lighting fires and making model rockets and smoke bombs as a teenager, his father, Richard Bartkus, told various media outlets.

“Nothing major, nothing like a ‘bomb’ bomb, but he’d build rockets, shoot them in the air,” he told The New York Times of his son, whom he said he hadn’t spoken to for more than 10 years after divorcing his mother.

The younger Bartkus accidentally burned down the family’s Yucca Valley home at the age of 9, which landed him on juvenile probation, his father said.

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[–] nexas_XIII@lemm.ee 58 points 1 week ago

You know who also made rockets when they were younger? Homer Hickam who worked at NASA and was the person depicted in October Sky. I agree with the other commenter, if you haven’t talked to your kid in 10 years (during highly formative years too) you probably shouldn’t do an interview where you talk about who he is now.

[–] commander@lemmy.world 43 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I wonder what the dad thought doing interviews because to me he sounds a shitty parent

[–] FoxyFerengi@lemm.ee 22 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Right? Most kids are easily influenced, that's a big part of being a child. The fact that this dude had no interest in being in Guy's life probably had the highest influence on how he developed. Because the "I didn't choose to be born" line says more about his parents than him, I feel

[–] commander@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Dude ya! Not funny but I was kind of grinning a bit reading it. Like this is how you represent yourself to the public, now imagine behind closed doors. Even worse considering not having talked to his son for 10 years after the divorce where by his words the son chose the mother. Like damn man, crawl into a hole and avoid scrutiny

[–] Case@lemmynsfw.com 10 points 1 week ago

Reminds me of a boss I had.

He seemed almost proud that he has never met his grandchildren, because his own children hate him so much that after they left the house, they cut contact.

Yet all he talked about was how family was the most important thing, and that if your family needs anything.... yada yada, I caught hell for trying to support my wife when her father died. Fucking hypocrite.

[–] 52fighters@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 1 week ago

There's a reason for the saying, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

[–] blakenong@lemmings.world 9 points 1 week ago

So basically the dude is a bit nuts and he likes to play with fire. Mix in a bad family life and some online influence and he blew something up.

One person doing a crazy thing, and not at all some kind of “movement.” Let’s be sure to shut that shit down if people bring it up.

[–] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml -1 points 1 week ago

Ban... fire?