Oklahoma Man Arrested for Allegedly Throwing Pipe Bomb at Satanic Temple in Salem, Mass.

An Oklahoma man was arrested and charged today for allegedly throwing a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple (TST) in Salem, Mass.

Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, Okla., was charged in a criminal complaint with using an explosive to cause damage to a building used in interstate or foreign commerce. Palmer was arrested this morning and will make an initial appearance in the Western District of Oklahoma on Thursday. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the charging documents and TST’s website, TST is a “non-theistic organization” founded in 2013 and headquartered in Salem, Mass. In addition to serving as the organization’s headquarters, TST’s Salem location also functions as a public, TST-themed art gallery.

At approximately 4:14 a.m. on April 8, 2024, surveillance cameras outside TST captured a man walking towards TST wearing black pants, and black jacket, a black face covering, a tan-colored tactical vest and gloves. According to the charging documents, as the man approached TST, he ignited a pipe bomb—a type of improvised explosive device or “IED”—threw it at TST’s main entrance, and then ran away. Seconds later, the pipe bomb partially detonated causing minor fire and related damage to TST’s exterior.

Read more: Department of Justice