SALEM, Mass. — An Ohio man faces assault and firearms charges after allegedly producing a stun gun and activating it twice during a confrontation involving street preachers near Salem’s Bewitched statue on October 27.
The arrest comes amid complaints about aggressive street preaching during the city’s Halloween season. However, the police account leaves important questions unanswered, including what was said before the alleged threat and whether the device made contact with anyone.
In a corrected October 28 press release, Salem police said patrol officers observed two groups engaged in a verbal dispute near the statue at Townhouse Square at approximately 8:41 p.m. One group was preaching, while the other was expressing disagreement with its rhetoric.
Paul Selby, 46, of Mogadore, Ohio, was subsequently arrested on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of carrying a firearm without a license.
The iconic Bewitched statue in Salem depicting Samantha [Image Credit: S. Ciotti]
Police said the dispute subsided after the preachers crossed the street. An individual then approached officers and reported that he had challenged the group’s message. He did not elaborate on what he had said, and the exact nature of the message remains unclear.
According to the press release, a man who had challenged the preaching group’s message told officers that a member of the group pulled out a stun gun and activated it twice. He described the action as being ‘zapped’ and said he feared for his safety. A witness helped corroborate the incident. Police located a man matching the description a short time later.
Police identified him as Selby and said he possessed two stun guns. The department subsequently corrected its release to fix an earlier misspelling of his surname.
According to court records supplied to The Wild Hunt, Selby pleaded not guilty at his October 28 arraignment in Salem District Court. Bail was set at $5,000, with conditions prohibiting contact with the alleged victim or witnesses and barring him from the area around the statue.
Some news coverage described the encounter as a person being struck or shocked. The corrected police release, however, does not explicitly establish physical contact or identify an injury. It describes the weapon’s activation and the reporting individual’s fear.
That distinction does not, by itself, rule out an assault charge. Massachusetts jury instructions recognize assault through either an attempted battery or an immediately threatened battery; physical contact is not required. Prosecutors must nevertheless prove the applicable elements of the offense. State guidance also says possession of a stun gun requires a current license to carry.
Beyond the criminal allegations, accounts supplied to The Wild Hunt describe frustration with street preachers confronting pedestrians and interrupting tours near the statue.
One person who described themselves as an eyewitness told The Wild Hunt in a private message that a preacher had been yelling in people’s faces and had been near the statue earlier that day. Another anonymous tipster described preachers shouting accusations of spiritual impurity, insisting that people turn to Jesus, and sometimes speaking over tour guides. The same tipster alleged that some preachers claimed turning to Jesus would cure sexually transmitted infections.
Other accounts alleged that preachers obstructed a crossing or pressed passersby about whether their sins had been forgiven. These descriptions have not been independently verified, and the material does not establish that every complaint concerns Selby or the group involved in the arrest.
The police release does not identify the preaching organization, reproduce its message, or characterize the confrontation as targeting Pagans or Witches. It also does not identify the religious affiliation of the person who reported the alleged threat.
We should note that several tips to The Wild Hunt have identified Selby on social media, but we cannot confirm the Selby identified on social media is the same individual arrested in Salem.
The department closed its statement with a reminder directed at visitors attending the city’s seasonal festivities: “During Salem’s Haunted Happenings celebrations, we discourage the display or possession of any weapons.” The event culminated on the night of October 31 with usual massive street parties, costume contests, and live music stages across the downtown district. Some activities spill over into the first few days of November, followed by continuing celebration of Salem’s 400th birthday.
The Wild Hunt will continue to follow this story.
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