Oklahoma man arrested for allegedly throwing pipe bomb at Satanic Temple in Salem

BOSTON (WWLP) – A man from Oklahoma was arrested after he was accused of throwing a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple (TST) in Salem.

Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, OK, faces charges related to using an explosive device to cause damage to a building used in interstate or foreign commerce.

Palmer was arrested and is set to appear in the Western District of Oklahoma before facing a federal court in Boston.

The Satanic Temple, founded in 2013 and headquartered in Salem, serves as both a non-theistic organization and a public art gallery. The incident occurred on April 8, 2024, around 4:14 a.m., as captured by surveillance cameras outside TST. The footage shows a man dressed in black attire, wearing a face covering and tactical vest, approaching the temple, igniting a pipe bomb, and then leaving the scene. The explosive partially detonated, causing minor damage to the building’s exterior.

Law enforcement recovered a handwritten note near the site of the attack, that allegedly stated the following:

Dear Satanist, Elohim send me 7 months ago to give you peaceful message to hope you repent. You say no, Elohim now send me to smite Satan and I happy to obey. And Elohim want me to contact you to tell you repent. Turn from sin. Elohim no like this place and plan to destroy it. Maybe Salem too? Elohim send me to fight crybaby Satan, but want me to make hard effort so no one dies. I obey.

Additionally, surveillance footage identified a vehicle allegedly registered to Palmer driving near TST before and after the incident.

Further evidence points to Palmer’s involvement, including his purchase of PVC pipe and matching end caps similar to those used in constructing the pipe bomb. A social media post depicting Palmer wearing a tactical vest akin to the suspect’s attire and his frequent commentary on religious matters aligning with the note’s content strengthened the case against him.

The severity of the charges against Palmer could lead to a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, along with other penalties.

Local News

Elms College’s online nursing program ranked one of the top in U.S. by Forbes Advisor

Supporters: Juvenile justice bill is about “true second chances”

New Taylor Swift album “The Tortured Poets Department,” releasing Friday

Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity hosts their 3rd “Hang with Habitat” networking event

22News began broadcasting in March 1953 providing local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Follow WWLP-22News on X @WWLP22News and Facebook .

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.