A Tuesday night argument over street preaching in downtown Salem allegedly turned violent when a man pulled out a stun gun and used it on someone who disagreed with the message. Police arrested Paul Shelby, 46, of Mogadore, Ohio, after finding him with two stun guns. The confrontation unfolded steps from the city's famous Bewitched statue.
According to NBC Boston, Salem police saw two groups engaged in a verbal argument near the statue at Townhouse Square on Tuesday night. One group was preaching, and members of the other were voicing their disagreement with the message. Reports differ slightly on timing: NBC Boston puts it around 8:41 p.m., while Patch reports police saying about 8:30.
The preaching group crossed the street, and the argument subsided, NBC Boston reports. Soon after, a person told officers that a man from the other group had pulled out a stun gun and activated it twice, according to Boston 25 News. He said he had been “zapped” and told officers he was afraid for his safety.
Two Stun Guns, One Arrest
Officers were able to corroborate the claim with a witness and soon found the man, who was carrying two stun guns, Patch reports. Shelby was arrested by Salem police. Whether the device actually made contact has not been independently established; the account of being zapped comes from the person who reported the incident.
Shelby will be charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of carrying a firearm without a license, per Boston 25 News. No court date, plea, or formal filing has been reported yet.
Why a Stun Gun Counts as a Firearm Here
The firearm counts may surprise visitors from out of state. Patch notes that in Massachusetts, possession of a stun gun is classified as a firearm. The Massachusetts General Laws define a stun gun as a portable device or weapon that can direct an electrical current, impulse, wave or beam designed to temporarily incapacitate, injure or kill, whether delivered by a dart, projectile or wire lead.
A Landmark With a Rough Track Record
The statue at the center of the scene is a six-foot bronze of Elizabeth Montgomery riding a broomstick beside a crescent moon, per WCVB. It was unveiled in 2005 and sits in Lappin Park at Washington and Essex streets, and Salem tourism officials say it has quickly become a staple in the city.
It has drawn trouble before. The statue was doused with red paint on June 6, 2022, and a man later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months of probation, with a suspended jail term tied to repaying the repair costs, according to another WCVB report.
