Official announcements from the Kannapolis Police Department

Edgar Maddison Welch, 'Pizzagate' Gunman, Fatally Shot by Police in Kannapolis, NC on January 4, 2025

Jan 10, 2025, 01:53 AM

Edgar Maddison Welch, the man who gained infamy for the 2016 'Pizzagate' incident where he fired an AR-15 rifle inside Comet Ping Pong in Washington, D.C., was fatally shot by police during a traffic stop in Kannapolis, North Carolina. On January 4, 2025, Welch, who was a passenger in a vehicle, was recognized by an officer from the Kannapolis Police Department as having an outstanding warrant for a felony probation violation. When officers attempted to arrest him, Welch allegedly pulled out a handgun and pointed it at an officer, leading to two officers, identified as Brooks Jones and Caleb Tate, shooting him after he failed to comply with orders to drop the weapon. Welch died from his injuries two days later on January 6, 2025. No other individuals were injured during the incident. The shooting is under review by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the involved officers are on administrative leave. Welch had previously served four years in prison for his actions related to the unfounded conspiracy theory about a child sex trafficking ring at Comet Ping Pong.