Inspired by Fake Story, Armed with 3 Guns

SALISBURY, N.C. – Edgar Maddison Welch told police he drove from Salisbury to Washington DC with an AR-15, a black handgun and a shotgun to see if the Comet Ping Pong pizza shop was harboring child sex slaves, and to rescue them. He’d heard about it online, he said. “Pizzagate” is a conspiracy theory that police call “fictitious.”

Pizza shop customer Sharif Silmi says, “And this guy basically walked in, he was walking straight directly for the back room.”

Court documents shows that on Sunday, around 3 PM, 28-year-old Welch fired the rifle into walls, a door and a computer desktop inside the restaurant.

People ran out, and police moved them, and others nearby, away from the scene. Police say Welch surrendered peacefully within about 20 minutes when he found “no evidence that underage children” were there. The owner of the restaurant thanked police. James Alefantis also said, “I really hope that all these people fanning the flames of this conspiracy would take a moment to contemplate what has gone here today and maybe to stop.”

Welch is now charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and more.

He has a record in Salisbury, the most recent was a couple of drug charges in August. One of his friends, who declined to talk on camera, tells WCCB, “I’d trust him with my life.” A woman who knows Welch told WCCB, “He’s the type of kid that would help me out if I needed him to.”

His girlfriend declined to comment, saying “I’d rather keep quiet, we are all still trying to process the situation ourselves.”

His family is not yet speaking publicly. His father is a former Register of Deeds in Rowan County. His mother is a retired firefighter.

Welch’s Facebook page says he worked at the Locke Fire Department. The Chief tells WCCB Welch did, for six months in 2013. Welch was recently hired by the Spencer Fire Department, but the Chief there tells WCCB after Welch stopped both showing up for training and answering alarms, he was removed from the department on November 30.

The assault charge in the pizza shop arrest was because police say Welch swung his rifle at a restaurant worker. A judge declined Welch bond. His next court appearance is Thursday morning. He’s got a court appointed attorney.