Edgar Maddison Welch



Edgar Maddison Welch is an American conspiracy theorist and attempted murderer. He was a strong believer in the "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory - which alleged that Hillary Clinton was secretly operating a pedophile ring in the Comet Ping Pong pizza restaurant in Washington, DC.

On December 4, 2016, Welch decided to "self-investigate" these allegations and went to Comet Ping Pong and fired three shots in the restaurant with an AR-15 rifle, striking walls, a desk, and a door. He saw himself as the potential hero of the story—a rescuer of children. He surrendered after officers surrounded the restaurant and was arrested without incident. No one was injured.

Later, in an interview with The New York Times, Welch said that he regretted how he had handled the situation but did not dismiss his belief in the conspiracy theory.

On March 24, 2017, following a plea agreement with prosecutors, Welch pleaded guilty to the federal charge of interstate transport of firearms and the local District of Columbia charge of assault with a dangerous weapon. Welch also agreed to pay $5,744.33 for damages to the restaurant. U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson sentenced Welch to four years in prison on June 22, 2017.