A satanic temple in flames: The hunt is on for suspect who threw a pipe bomb in Salem

Backed by the FBI, local and state authorities are investigating after officials say someone threw a pipe bomb onto the porch of The Satanic Temple in Massachusetts causing the building to catch fire.

No one was injured during the early Monday morning incident at the non-profit organization's building headquartered in Salem, a city on the north coast of Massachusetts above Boston.

"Thankfully, nobody was on the property at the time," Kristen M. Setera, FBI Boston Division spokesperson told USA TODAY Tuesday.

About 4:45 p.m. ET, arson investigators and members of the Massachusetts State Police Fire and Explosives Investigation Unit responded to temple to assist the Salem Police Department after someone tossed an incendiary device onto the side porch of the building, state police spokesperson Dave Procopio told USA TODAY in an email.

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Person who threw device at building captured on video, police say

At the scene, police alerted the bomb squad team an unidentified person had been captured on the temple’s surveillance video tossing a lit pipe bomb over the fence onto the side porch. 

"Upon impact, the item caused a flash of fire in several areas on the porch before self-extinguishing," Procopio told USA TODAY.

At the scene, the team found "a cylindrical PVC object filled with a black powder" near the porch designed "to cause detonation and inflict injuries."

Device found near side porch caused building to catch fire

After the object was tossed, some powder from the device spilled out of it and ignited, Procopio said, causing the porch deck to catch fire.

"It kind of fizzled out, but scorched some of the side of the house," the temple's co-founder and spokesperson Luciean Graves told WBTS-TV.

A test burn of the powder revealed what Procopio called "a highly energetic burning reaction," consistent with a smokeless powder.  

Troopers searched the rest of the property including the building's interior and later cleared the scene.

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Satanic Temple previously targeted via bomb threat, arson

Over the past several years, Procopio said, the building has been a target of protests, bomb threats and an arson.

Graves told the outlet the fire took place last year.

As of Tuesday the case remained under investigation, officials said, and local and state police continued to work to identify the suspect.

Anyone with information, or who may have seen something in the early morning hours of April 8, 2024, is asked to contact Salem police or the FBI. Tips may also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov.

FBI Boston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is assisting in the investigation, Setera said.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.