Suspect Arrested for Alleged Pipe Bomb Attack on The Satanic Temple in Massachusetts

Suspect Arrested for Alleged

Suspect Arrested-Prosecutors have announced the arrest of a suspect believed to be responsible for throwing a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple headquarters in Salem, Massachusetts. The incident, which occurred last week, caused damage to the building and was accompanied by a letter addressed to “Dear Satanist,” according to investigators.

Suspect Arrested-The arrested individual has been identified as Sean Patrick Palmer, aged 49, hailing from Perkins, Oklahoma. He was apprehended on Wednesday morning and charged with the use of fire or explosives to damage a building involved in interstate or foreign commerce during the incident on April 8, stated the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

Suspect Arrested-According to an affidavit authored by an FBI agent, surveillance footage captured the moment when a person ignited and hurled a pipe bomb over a fence onto the covered porch of The Satanic Temple building around 4:14 a.m. Although the explosive only partially detonated, it caused minor fire damage to the building’s exterior. Fortunately, no one was inside the building at the time of the incident.

Suspect Arrested-The device, described as a makeshift pipe bomb, was constructed using a plastic pipe wrapped with taped-on metal nails and filled with a substance preliminarily identified as smokeless gunpowder, as detailed in the affidavit.

Suspect Arrested-Additionally, the surveillance footage showed the suspect tossing a small item into the building’s flower bed, where investigators later recovered a handwritten note. The letter, addressed to “Dear Satanist,” made references to Elohim, a Hebrew term for God, and appeared to mention a previous act of vandalism at the building from last year.

Suspect Arrested-Palmer has not been charged in connection with the previous vandalism incident, which occurred approximately seven months ago and involved the spray painting of Bible verses on the temple’s walls.

Investigators linked Palmer to the scene through his car, which was observed in the vicinity at the time of the attack, as well as a photograph from his Facebook account dating back to 2018, depicting him wearing attire similar to that worn by the individual in the surveillance footage.

If convicted, Palmer could face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison along with a fine of up to $250,000, according to prosecutors. He is scheduled to appear in an Oklahoma district court on Thursday and is expected to make a subsequent appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date.

The Satanic Temple, known as the only federally recognized international non-theistic religious Satanic organization, operates its headquarters in Salem, housed in a former funeral parlor. The facility hosts an art gallery featuring a permanent exhibit on Satanism, witch hunts, and moral panic, in addition to serving as a venue for ceremonial events, meetings, and lectures.

In response to Palmer’s arrest, Salem police expressed gratitude to both local and federal investigators for their efforts, and extended thanks to the community for its support during this challenging time.