Man inspired by false ‘pizzagate’ rumor on Internet pleads guilty to shooting at D.C. restaurant

Reporting from WASHINGTON —  A man who police said was inspired by false Internet rumors dubbed “pizzagate” to fire an assault weapon inside a Washington pizzeria pleaded guilty Friday to two charges.

Edgar Maddison Welch of Salisbury, N.C., said during a hearing in U.S. District Court in Washington that he had agreed to plead guilty to interstate transportation of a firearm and assault with a dangerous weapon.

As part of the guilty plea, prosecutors will drop a third charge, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, which had carried a mandatory minimum prison term of five years.

Authorities say the 28-year-old Welch fired shots from an AR-15 assault rifle inside the Comet Ping Pong restaurant Dec. 4, after driving from North Carolina to investigate a bogus conspiracy theory about Democrats harboring child sex slaves there. No one was injured.

Lawyers said in court that under sentencing guidelines Welch probably faces 1½ to two years in prison as a result of the interstate transportation charge and 1½ to five years for the assault charge. Sentences on the charges could run either consecutively or concurrently.

Prosecutors and Welch’s defense attorney did not say Friday what sentences they intend to seek.

Welch has also agreed to pay approximately $5,700 for damage he caused in the restaurant. Welch fired shots at a locked door after he entered and patrons fled.

Sentencing is set for June 22.