FBI arrests Perkins man for allegedly throwing pipe bomb at Satanic Temple
The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested and charged a man in Perkins on Wednesday morning for allegedly throwing a pipe bomb at a Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts.
PERKINS, Okla. (KFOR) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested and charged a man in Perkins on Wednesday morning for allegedly throwing a pipe bomb at a Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, was arrested after security footage from The Satanic Temple (TST) captured a man matching his description tossing a pipe bomb at the building in Salem, Massachusetts, on April 8.
TST is said to be the organization's headquarters, as well as a public, TST-themed art gallery.
A photo of Palmer posted to social media shows him wearing a similar tactical vest to the suspect in the surveillance video.
A black Volvo sedan, allegedly registered to Palmer, was also seen driving erratically near TST around the time of the incident in surveillance footage obtained by the FBI.
Evidence found on the scene included a single human hair belonging to a Caucasian man, and a six-page handwritten note in a flower bed near the pipe bomb. The note reportedly referenced "religious matters and themes" similar to the content on a social media site where Palmer is said to be an active member.
The charging document also alleges that Palmer purchased materials similar to those used to build the pipe bomb at a home improvement store in Oklahoma on April 3.
McIntyre Law Chopper 4 flew over the scene Wednesday morning where FBI agents could be seen executing federal warrants at a property near Highway 177 and Highway 33, just north of Perkins.
Palmer has been charged with using an explosive to cause damage to a building used in interstate or foreign commerce. If convicted, Palmer could face a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Palmer is scheduled to make an initial appearance in the Western District Court of Oklahoma on Thursday.