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.
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.