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Pizzagate Affidavit
Pizzagate Affidavit
I, Justin Holgate, being first duly sworn, hereby depose and state as follows:
MADDISON WELCH (“WELCH”) with one count of Transporting a Firearm with Intent to
Commit an Offense or with Knowledge or Reasonable Cause to Believe that an Offense Would
submit that there is probable cause to believe that WELCH transported, across state lines from
North Carolina to the District of Columbia, multiple loaded firearms, with intent to commit
offenses that are punishable by more than one year in prison under the law of the District of
Columbia, or with knowledge or reasonable cause to believe that such offenses would be
committed, including violations of 22 D.C. Code § 402 (Assault with a Dangerous Weapon), 22
D.C. Code § 4504(a) (Carrying a Pistol Without a License), and 22 D.C. Code 4504(a-1)
and have been employed as such since 2009. I am currently assigned to a squad which
investigates violent crimes out of the FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force of the Washington, D.C.
Field Office of the FBI. I have been assigned to this squad for more than six years. Prior to
being appointed to the FBI, I served as a police officer in Little Rock, AR, for three years.
During the course of my investigations of violent crimes, I have obtained arrest and search
warrants and testified in Grand Jury and Trial proceedings. Through my employment with the
FBI, I have gained knowledge in the use of various investigative techniques, including the
investigations, the service of Administrative and Grand Jury Subpoenas, analyzing telephone pen
register and caller identification system data, conducting court-authorized electronic surveillance
and the execution of search and arrest warrants. Through instruction and participation in
investigations, I have become familiar with the manner in which criminal offenders conduct their
illegal business and the methods, language, and terms that are used to disguise conversations
from other FBI agents, and information obtained from other law enforcement officers.
4. This affidavit is intended to show that there is sufficient probable cause for the
requested warrant. It does not set forth every fact known to the government in connection with
this investigation, nor does it set forth every fact known to me or other law enforcement agents.
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PROBABLE CAUSE
Overview
identified himself as Edgar Maddison Welch (“WELCH”) walked into the “Comet Ping Pong”
restaurant at 5037 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. WELCH was armed,
displaying a loaded AR-15 assault rifle and carrying a loaded .38 caliber revolver. The
restaurant was open and occupied by both employees and customers, including children.
6. WELCH entered the restaurant carrying the AR-15 across his chest, in a manner
that instilled fear in everyone who saw him. As WELCH moved towards the back of the
restaurant, customers and employees fled the building, fearing for their lives. While WELCH
was inside the restaurant, he fired the AR-15 multiple times. Shortly after that, when an unaware
employee walked through a rear door into the restaurant, WELCH turned towards the employee,
such that his rifle was pointed in the direction of the employee, who immediately fled in fear.
7. As set forth further below, I respectfully submit that there is probable cause to
believe that, on December 4, 2016, WELCH transported the above-listed firearms (as well as an
additional shotgun) across state lines, from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., with intent to
commit the offenses listed above, or with knowledge or reasonable cause to believe that the
offenses listed above would be committed. As set forth below, WELCH appears to have been
motivated, in part, by unfounded rumors concerning a child sex-trafficking ring that was being
evidence obtained from his cellphone, it appears that WELCH had been contemplating a violent
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confrontation at the restaurant since at least December 1, 2016. The evidence from WELCH’s
cellphone also suggests that WELCH attempted to recruit at least two other people to join him.
Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) officers that he had left his
cellphone inside his Toyota Prius, which had been parked outside the Comet Ping Pong
restaurant. The following electronic evidence was from WELCH’s cellphone, after officers
pages, WELCH sent a text message to his girlfriend, “M.R.” WELCH indicated that he had been
researching “Pizzagate” and that it was making him “sick.” “Pizzagate” is a term commonly
used to refer to the above-described rumors about a sex-trafficking ring at Comet Ping Pong.
10. During the next few hours after sending that text message, WELCH continued
viewing YouTube pages on his cellphone. He also visited the Comet Ping Pong website.
11. Shortly after 8:00 p.m. on December 1, 2016, WELCH sent a text message to a
friend, “B.” The text message to B. included an internet link to a YouTube video. The text
message also included the note, “Watch PIZZAGATE: The Bigger Picture on YouTube.”
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The electronic evidence gathered from the cellphone is consistent with WELCH’s ownership
and use of the phone. This evidence includes text messages to and from the cellphone, user
account data included within the phone, and pictures and videos recovered from the phone.
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12. A few minutes later, WELCH received a phone call from another friend, “C.” It
is not clear whether or not WELCH actually spoke with C., but a few minutes after the phone
call, WELCH and C. exchanged text messages. At about 8:28 p.m., C. texted WELCH, “Tell me
we r going to save the Indians from the pipeline.” WELCH responded, “Way more important,
much higher stakes” and “Pizzagate.” C. wrote, “Sounds like we r freeing some oppressed pizza
from the hands of an evil pizza joint.” WELCH replied, “Youtube tonight, talk in AM.” At
13. A few minutes later, WELCH sent a text message to B., asking B. to contact him
so that they could drive together to C.’s residence in the morning. WELCH also asked B. to
spend some time on YouTube before then. B. said he would contact WELCH in the morning.
14. On December 2, 2016, at about 2:58 p.m., WELCH texted C., asking whether C.
wanted to meet, and whether C. had any Army buddies nearby. When C. indicated that he had
one, WELCH asked, “he down for the cause?” C. said that it depended on the cause. WELCH
responded: “Raiding a pedo ring, possibly sacraficing [sic] the lives of a few for the lives of
many. Standing up against a corrupt system that kidnaps, tortures and rapes babies and children
in our own backyard... defending the next generation of kids, our kids, from ever having to
experience this kind of evil themselves[.] I'm sorry bro, but I'm tired of turning the channel and
hoping someone does something and being thankful it's not my family. One day it will be our
families. The world is too afraid to act and I'm too stubborn not to[.]”
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15. C. asked WELCH to call him, and they exchanged phone calls a few minutes
later. A few minutes after that, WELCH texted M.R. that he was going to C.’s residence. B.
also sent WELCH a text message indicating that he, too, would come to C.’s residence.
16. On December 4, 2016, at about 6:42 a.m., B. texted WELCH, asking WELCH to
meet. After coordinating about the location, WELCH texted that he was “otw,” or on the way.
17. On December 4, 2016, at about 8:42 a.m., M.R. and WELCH began exchanging
text messages which indicated that WELCH had left home while M.R. was sleeping, leaving his
children alone with M.R. (who is not a parent of the children). M.R.’s text messages became
18. WELCH’s phone also contained a video recording with the time stamp of 11:06
a.m. on December 4, 2016. The video appears to have been recorded while WELCH was
driving. The phone camera was aimed at WELCH, who looked into the camera and told family
members that he loved them; that he hoped that he had “showed it”; and that he hoped that he
would be able to “tell [them] again.” “And if not,” he told them “don’t ever forget it.”
19. A few hours later, at about 3:00 p.m. on December 4, 2016, WELCH arrived at
the Comet Ping Pong restaurant. Witnesses saw WELCH enter the front door of the restaurant,
carrying an assault rifle that he was holding across his chest, such that anyone who looked at
WELCH would see the gun. Witnesses saw WELCH moved towards the rear of the restaurant
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with the gun, but WELCH did not interfere with the employees and customers who, fearing for
20. At about the time that everyone else was running away from WELCH, restaurant
employee CW-1 was retrieving dough from a freezer in an alley behind the restaurant. While
CW-1 was outside by the freezer, CW-1 heard three loud bangs. Although CW-1 has stated that
these loud noises were consistent with the sound of gunfire, at the time, CW-1 did not know
what caused them. As such, CW-1 returned to the restaurant as he had intended.
21. When CW-1 entered the restaurant, CW-1 encountered WELCH and saw that
WELCH was carrying a rifle. CW-1 could see that WELCH saw CW-1. WELCH then turned
with the AR-15 rifle such that it was pointing in the direction of CW-1. CW-1, fearing for his
life, immediately fled the restaurant. CW-1 ultimately found MPD officers who had responded
to the scene. CW-1 reported to the officers what had occurred inside the restaurant.
22. When the first-responding police officers initially approached the restaurant, they
encountered customers fleeing the restaurant through the main entrance. Officers observed
multiple witnesses fleeing, and asked whether there were any additional customers inside the
restaurant. One of the witnesses indicated that all of the customers had fled.
23. The responding police officers created a perimeter around the restaurant, stopping
traffic and escorting witnesses to a nearby firehouse for safety. At approximately 3:24 p.m.,
WELCH exited the front of the restaurant with his hands up in the air. Officers directed
WELCH to keep his hands up in the air, walk backwards away from the restaurant, and expose
his waistband (so that officers could determine whether WELCH was currently armed).
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WELCH complied with these instructions, and then complied with further instructions to lay on
the ground. Officers then placed WELCH in handcuffs. An officer asked whether WELCH had
any weapons, and asked WELCH to describe their location. At that time, WELCH told officers
that he had an AR-15 and a .38 caliber revolver, and that both weapons were inside the
restaurant.
24. Officers conducted two show-up identification procedures with witnesses who
had seen the armed man inside the restaurant. Both witnesses identified WELCH as the armed
25. After WELCH was detained, MPD officers entered and searched the restaurant.
During the search of the restaurant, officers recovered an AR-15 (which was loaded with one
round of ammunition in the chamber and twenty-two rounds in the magazine) as well as a .38
caliber six-shot revolver (which was loaded with six rounds in the cylinder). Officers also
recovered spent shell casings and observed other physical evidence that was consistent with the
audible evidence that WELCH had discharged the AR-15 multiple times inside the restaurant.
Statements by Welch
26. WELCH was arrested and taken to the Second District for processing. WELCH
27. WELCH was advised of his right to remain silent under Miranda v. Arizona.
WELCH acknowledged that he understood his right to remain silent and to counsel. WELCH
then voluntarily waived his right to remain silent and provided a statement.
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28. WELCH stated that he had learned about “news” reports concerning a child sex
trafficking ring that was being conducted in hidden rooms at the Comet Ping Pong restaurant,
which allegedly involved high-profile individuals. WELCH said that he had read these reports
on the internet, heard about the reports from other people, and heard about them on the radio.
WELCH claimed that he had decided to “investigate” these reports on his own. WELCH said
that this was why he had decided to visit the Comet Ping Pong restaurant.
29. WELCH said that, for that reason, he got into his car at approximately 9:00 a.m.
that morning and drove from his home in North Carolina, straight to the Comet Ping Pong
restaurant in Washington, D.C. WELCH said that, while he was driving from North Carolina to
the Comet Ping Pong restaurant, he used his cell phone to communicate with family members
about his travel to Washington, D.C. WELCH said that, while he was driving, he told his
30. WELCH said that he parked his car outside the restaurant and walked towards the
entrance. WELCH said that he entered the restaurant armed, carrying an assault rifle, and said
that he also had a .38 revolver in a holster on his hip. WELCH said that he entered the restaurant
with the rifle openly displayed and pointed downwards. WELCH stated that, while he was in the
restaurant, he searched for evidence of hidden rooms or tunnels, or child sex-trafficking of any
kind. WELCH stated that, at one point, he encountered a locked door. When he was unable to
open the door, WELCH became suspicious and attempted to force it open with a butter knife,
and then by shooting the lock. WELCH said that he fired shots at the lock using his AR-15.
WELCH said that, when that also proved unsuccessful, he climbed furniture to look into the
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closed-off room, and found that it was unoccupied. WELCH also described encountering an
employee who entered from the rear of the restaurant, consistent with CW-1. WELCH admitted
turning towards the employee with the “AR” in his hands. When asked, WELCH denied raising
exited the restaurant and surrendered himself to police officers that were already on-scene.
32. WELCH admitted to having an additional loaded shotgun in his vehicle, as well
as ammunition. MPD officers later obtained a search warrant to search WELCH’s vehicle,
which is a Toyota Prius bearing North Carolina license plates. When that warrant was executed
(which was loaded with four live rounds of ammunition) from the rear hatchback area of the
CONCLUSION
33. Based on the foregoing, I respectfully submit that there is probable cause to
believe that WELCH has committed the offense of Transporting a Firearm with Intent to Commit
Committed, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(b), in that WELCH transported, across state lines
from North Carolina to the District of Columbia, multiple loaded firearms, with intent to commit
offenses that are punishable by more than one year in prison under the law of the District of
Columbia, or with knowledge or reasonable cause to believe that such offenses would be
committed, including violations of 22 D.C. Code § 402 (Assault with a Dangerous Weapon), 22
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D.C. Code § 4504(a) (Carrying a Pistol Without a License), and 22 D.C. Code 4504(a-1)
Respectfully Submitted,
______________________________________
Justin Holgate, Special Agent
Federal Bureau of Investigation
____________________________________
Honorable G. Michael Harvey
United States Magistrate Judge
District of Columbia
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