Salem Man Tasered, Arrested After Standoff with Police

A Salem man is facing domestic assault charges after he hit a woman in the head with a caulking gun and then locked himself inside a Bailey Road home on Sunday afternoon.

Thomas Dye, 59, of Salem is charged with two counts of simple assault, domestic related and one count of resisting arrest.

At 1:52 p.m. Sunday, Salem Police responded to Bailey Road for a report of a domestic disturbance. A 56-year-old woman had been struck on the top of the head with a caulking gun and required medical treatment for her injuries.

The suspect, Dye, had locked himself inside the house and refused to exit. He screamed at the officers that they would have to kill him. One of the officers was able to look into the kitchen window, and saw Dye bleeding profusely from both wrists. He was bleeding so badly that the officers decided they had to enter the residence for fear that he might die.

Upon forcing the door open, Dye charged at the officers. He was tasered twice but continued to violently struggle until several officers were able to get him into custody on the kitchen floor. 

Due to all of the blood, police said it was extremely difficult to get Dye into custody. He continued struggle even after being cuffed and put on a stretcher. He was extremely intoxicated and his wrist wounds required numerous staples to close. 

Dye was out on bail for a prior domestic assault in August, and bail was set bedside at Parkland Medical Center in Derry at $5,000 cash. He is being held at Rockingham County Jail pending arraignment. 

Police said several officers on scene were treated for significant blood exposure and numerous articles of clothing and equipment were ruined.