Ohio Man Charged After Stun Gun Confrontation Near Salem Bewitched Statue

An Ohio man is facing multiple criminal charges after he allegedly used a stun gun during a heated confrontation with critics of a street preaching group in downtown Salem. Paul Selby, 46, of Mogadore, Ohio, was arrested Tuesday and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of carrying a firearm without a license, The Boston Globe reported.

The incident occurred near the city’s famous “Bewitched” statue during the height of the “Haunted Happenings” season, a time when Salem welcomes thousands of tourists. For visitors from out of state, the charges may seem surprising, but under Massachusetts General Laws, a stun gun is legally classified as a firearm. This means that possessing such a device without a license carries the same legal weight as carrying a traditional gun.

A clash at the Bewitched statue

The conflict began just after 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday night near Town House Square. According to police reports, officers patrolling the area observed a group of preachers holding signs and shouting at another group of people, who were shouting back. While the dispute initially seemed to subside when the preachers moved across the street, the situation escalated shortly after.

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A man approached officers and reported that he had voiced concerns regarding the preaching when a member of the group pulled a device from a sweatshirt pocket and “zapped it twice in his direction,” according to the police report. The victim told officers he was in fear for his safety and believed he was about to be tased. While the police report notes that Selby did not say anything during the encounter, a witness corroborated the event, telling officers they heard a buzzing noise that was “unmistakably a taser.”

There is a slight discrepancy in the reported timing of the event. While The Boston Globe cites police reporting the time as just after 8:40 p.m., NBC Boston reported the time as 8:41 p.m., and Patch reported police saying it happened around 8:30 p.m.

Selby pleads not guilty after police seize weapons

Police quickly located a man matching the suspect’s description. Upon searching Selby, officers found two stun guns and a canister of pepper spray. All three items were seized as evidence. Selby appeared in Salem District Court on Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was released on $5,000 cash bail with strict conditions: he must have no contact with the victim or witness, stay out of the city of Salem entirely, and possess no firearms or dangerous weapons.

The stakes for Selby are significant due to the specific way Massachusetts defines incapacitating devices. The law defines a stun gun as any portable device designed to direct an electrical current, impulse, wave, or beam to temporarily incapacitate, injure, or kill. Because this falls under the firearm umbrella, the “carrying without a license” charges are not mere misdemeanors but serious legal hurdles.

A history of tension in Lappin Park

The confrontation centered around the six-foot bronze statue of Elizabeth Montgomery riding a broomstick. Unveiled in 2005 in Lappin Park, the statue is a centerpiece of Salem’s tourism industry, but it has not always been a site of peace. According to reports from WCVB via Hoodline, the statue was doused in red paint on June 6, 2022. The man responsible for that act eventually pleaded guilty and received 18 months of probation, along with a suspended jail term contingent on him paying for the repairs.

Ohio man zapped salem street preacher critic with stun gun police say — Photo: hoodline.com

The city's police department has explicitly discouraged the possession of any weapons during the Haunted Happenings celebrations to ensure public safety.

Selby was represented at his arraignment by an attorney from the Committee for Public Counsel Services. He is scheduled to return to court on December 14.