People who know suspect shocked at Pizzagate

Edgar Maddison Welch, 28 of Salisbury, North Carolina, surrenders to police. Photo / AP

The man who stormed into a Washington restaurant with an assault rifle yesterday told police he was searching for child sex slaves whom he believed to be hidden there, that he was armed to help rescue them, and that he surrendered after he found no evidence of child sex trafficking.

Edgar Maddison Welch surrendered peacefully after 45 minutes of searching inside Comet Ping Pong, which had become the site of a viral conspiracy theory tied to Hillary Clinton's campaign that falsely suggested that the restaurant's owner and powerful political allies were hiding a child sex trafficking ring. Welch told police he had read about the claims online.

An employee told police that Welch gestured at him with the assault rifle and he fled, according to court documents today. Police said Welch fired at least one shot. No one was injured.

Welch, 28, who lives in North Carolina, was ordered held in jail after a court hearing. He faces numerous weapons charges, including assault with a dangerous weapon.

Welch's actions paralysed the northwest Washington neighbourhood, as nearby businesses were told to lock down and police searched for weapons. And it quickly became a symbol of the powerful and dangerous potential impact of rumours and conspiracy theories have taken on during a volatile election.

Today, some of Welch's friends and family said they were struggling to understand how the sweet and caring man they knew could be driven to this.

Welch dabbled in film, writing in one short movie and acting in another. He is a father of two young daughters, whom friends said he adored. And he is a religious man, frequently quoting passages from the Bible on his Facebook page.

On his Facebook page, Welch posted affectionate photos with his children, triumphant shots from solo hikes, and a screaming snap from a roller-coaster ride. He attended a community college. Friends said he loved the outdoors, hiking, fishing. He once hiked the Colorado Trail, and his parents told the local newspaper they hoped to one day follow their son in a Winnebago and meet him at trail heads.

He also expressed enthusiasm for conspiracy theories and sites such as "End Times Headlines, news and headlines from a prophetic perspective."

Police said Welch fired one or more shots - a neighbouring business owner said that was apparently to force open a locked door - and was inside Comet Ping Pong 45 minutes alone before surrendering to police. He was armed with a Colt AR-15 assault rifle, and had a Colt .38 caliber, a shotgun, and a folding knife as well, according to police.

"Maddison is a sweet young man with a big heart," said Tajuana Tadlock, his aunt. "We are all in shock right now. We are still trying to get our minds around what happened. This is totally out of character for him.

"We are all worried about him. He comes from a family that cares. "We all just want to put our arms around him and ask him, 'Why baby? What made you this upset? This isn't you.'

"He is a passionate, tenderhearted. Loves his family. Loves his children, he is always concerned about his parents and children. We have not been able to talk to him yet, so we do not know what got him to this level.

The conspiracy theory, which began shortly before the election after emails were released by WikiLeaks, quickly gained believers on sites such as Reddit, which banned the community in late November, citing its policy against posting the personal information of others.

But another website offered more than US$2500 for proof of underground tunnels within 240m of Comet Ping Pong.

Kathy Sue Holtorf, an actress and film producer, met Welch about eight years ago when he was working in film, mostly by helping his father with a small production company.

"He's a good guy and a great dad and has always been the best kind of friend I could ever hope for," Holtorf said.

Police secure the scene near Comet Ping Pong in Washington. Photo / AP

When she talked to Welch two weeks ago, she said he didn't mention any conspiracy theories.

"Whatever was going through his mind at the time, I'm sure it had to do with saving lives of children," Holtorf said. "He most likely really believes the conspiracy theory. Knowing Maddison and knowing the good man that he is, I would say he believed he was doing something right." She added, "He told people to get out. ... He probably saw himself as more on a hero mission to save children than anything else."

Aaron Christie, a friend from West Rowan High School in North Carolina, said he hadn't talked to Welch recently but that he had strong political convictions, believing in the Constitution. "It didn't matter whether it was Democratic or Republican. If you had the ability to do something good for the people, you knew it was your responsibility to do something good for the people."

But Welch was laid-back and happy, he said; he had never seen an angry moment with his family. "I've never seen him hostile toward anybody. He was always levelheaded and calm, took a minute to think things over before he said or done things. But I haven't seen him in three years. A lot can change over time."

Donald Trump's pick for national security adviser, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, tweeted about another false claim of pedophile connections to the Clinton family early last month, and his son and top aide, Michael Flynn jnr, suggested on social media yesterday about the Comet Ping Pong conspiracy theory.

"Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, it'll remain a story. The left seems to forget #PodestaEmails and the many "coincidences" tied to it," Flynn jnr tweeted.