A man has been apprehended, accused of hurling a pipe bomb toward The Satanic Temple in Massachusetts, according to authorities.
A man named Sean Patrick Palmer, aged 49, from Perkins, Oklahoma, was taken into custody on Wednesday morning due to his alleged involvement in an act of arson during the April 8 occurrence. The US Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts informed the public about this incident.
At the moment, no legal representative has been identified for Palmer.
As stated in an affidavit completed by an FBI agent, surveillance cameras recorded a person who ignited and tossed a pipe bomb over a fence and onto The Satanic Temple building's covered porch around 4:14 am. The explosion resulted in modest damage to the building, as it merely triggered a fire on the exterior.
The building's occupants were not there at the time of the crime, but staff noticed the damage later that day, as per Salem police.
The makeshift bomb consisted of a plastic pipe filled with nails that were held together by tape, as well as powder that is presumed to be smokeless gunpowder, according to the affidavit.
The criminal act was captured by security cameras, which additionally demonstrate the individual throwing a small object in the building's flowerbed. This discovery later led to the location of a note written by hand, directed to "Dear Satanist."
The note mentioned Elohim, which translates to "the God," and seemed to allude to a previous incident of vandalism that occurred at the same building last year. The text of the note states, in part, "Elohim sent me seven months ago to deliver you a peaceful message. You said no, Elohim now sends me to strike Satan and I'm glad to comply."
Approximately seven months prior, on September 11, the Satanic Temple's headquarters were vandalized with Communist verses spray-painted on the walls. Palmer had not been charged in connection to that case as of Wednesday.
Law enforcement authorities also found a car with a license plate that matched Palmer's, as well as a photo on his Facebook profile from 2018 displaying him wearing a vest similar to the one worn by the individual in the footage.
If Palmer is found guilty, he may face up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, according to prosecutors.
Palmer is set to make his initial court appearance in an Oklahoma district on Thursday and is expected to appear in federal court in Boston at a future time, as per prosecutors.
The Satanic Temple's website states that it is "the only federally recognized international (non-theistic) religious Satanic organization." Based in Salem, the headquarters is old funeral parlor. The facility currently boasts an art gallery featuring permanent displays on Satanism, witch hunts, and moral panic, as well as a space for ceremonial events, meetings, and lectures.
In a news release, Salem officials stated that the organization's headquarters has previously experienced bomb threats and possible hate crimes, such as a June 2022 event during which a suspect was apprehended for suspected arson.
In addition, a man from Michigan was apprehended and accused in his state for planning to detonate a bomb at the temple earlier this year, as indicated in the report.
In a statement released to the public, The Satanic Temple gave thanks to investigators and law enforcement and expressed "profound gratitude to the Salem community for their outpouring of support during this challenging time." One of their employees, Zenebou Sylla, contributed to this report.
