Page 7 - ARUBA TODAY

A7
U.S. NEWS Friday 23 June 2017

Pizzagate’ gunman in DC sentenced to 4 years in prison

By JESSICA GRESKO Welch’s sentence was just Welch, a father and former
Associated Press below the 4 ½ years pros- emergency medical tech-
WASHINGTON (AP) — An ecutors sought and above nician, had acted with the
online conspiracy theory the 1 ½ years Welch’s attor- intent of defending chil-
dubbed “pizzagate” end- ney asked for. dren.
ed Thursday with real-world During the hearing, the Welch, who is from Salis-
consequences when a 29-year-old Welch spoke bury, North Carolina,
North Carolina man was briefly to apologize, saying pleaded guilty in March to
sentenced to prison for he realized that his words interstate transportation of
arming himself with an as- “cannot undo or change a firearm and ammunition
sault rifle, traveling to the what already happened.” and assault with a danger-
nation’s capital and firing In a letter filed with the ous weapon. Though the
his weapon inside a neigh- court, he wrote that he is rumors he went to inves-
borhood pizza restaurant. “truly sorry for endangering tigate were unfounded,
Edgar Maddison Welch’s the safety of any and all they have upended the
“ill-conceived plot” last bystanders who were pres- lives of those who worked
year did “actual damage In this Dec. 4, 2016 file photo, Edgar Maddison Welch, of Salis- ent that day,” but he didn’t in the restaurant.
to the lives of real people,” bury, N.C., surrenders to police in Washington. Welch is set to be talk about the conspiracy The restaurant’s owner,
a judge said before sen- sentenced Thursday at a hearing in federal court in Washington. theory that motivated him James Alefantis, said in
tencing him to four years in Associated Press to act, saying just that he court that the “viscous
prison. judge said during Thurs- unfounded internet rumors came to Washington “with web of lies” about his busi-
Judge Ketanji B. Jackson day’s hearing in U.S. District about prominent Demo- the intent of helping peo- ness has been traumatic
said she’d never seen a Court in Washington. crats harboring child sex ple I believed were in dire for him and his staff. He still
case like Welch’s, and she Jackson said it was “sheer slaves at the restaurant. need of assistance.” needs security there, he
gave him a punishment on luck” that no one was phys- As diners and staff fled, On Thursday, he sat quietly said, and has suffered both
the upper end of guide- ically injured when Welch leaving half-eaten pizza in an orange jail jumpsuit emotionally and financial-
lines, in part to send a mes- entered Washington’s and cups of soda, Welch throughout most of the ly. In letters to the judge
sage to others. If Welch Comet Ping Pong restau- went through the restau- hearing as his mother, fa- and in court, employees
believed an internet con- rant on Dec. 4 armed with rant. At one point, he fired ther, sister and fiancée sat described the terror of
spiracy theory that children an AR-15 assault rifle and a his AR-15 at a locked clos- in the front of the court- Welch’s actions, with some
were being harmed at the revolver. He was there just et, but he discovered there room. saying they have depres-
restaurant, he should have about a month after the were no children being Welch’s attorney, Dani sion and nightmares and
notified law enforcement, election of President Don- held in the restaurant and Jahn, said that Welch’s ac- need trauma counseling.
not attempted to take the ald Trump to investigate surrendered peacefully. tions were “reckless” and But Alefantis also said he is
law into his own hands, the “misguided,” but she said hopeful.q
Intercept attempt fails in missile defense test off Hawaii

By AUDREY McAVOY cific Missile Range Facility sions of the SM-3 intercep- The military has been de- from land, called Ground-
Associated Press on Kauai late Wednesday. tor and Aegis technology veloping separate tech- based Mid-Course De-
HONOLULU (AP) — The U.S. The USS John Paul Jones to track ballistic missiles. nology to fire interceptors fense. q
Missile Defense Agency detected and tracked the
said it failed to intercept a missile. The ship launched
ballistic missile during a test the interceptor, but it failed
off Hawaii. to shoot down the target.
The failure came during a This was the second time
test conducted with Ja- the U.S. military has at-
pan’s Defense Ministry late tempted an intercept
Wednesday. with the Standard Missile-3
The U.S. and Japan are Block IIA. The previous at-
jointly developing the inter- tempt in February was suc-
ceptor to shoot down me- cessful. SM-3 interceptors
dium-range ballistic mis- work with the agency’s
siles. The allies have been Aegis Ballistic Missile De-
investing in technology to fense system, which is the
counter North Korean mis- naval component of the
sile threats. nation’s ballistic missile de-
As part of the test, a me- fenses. U.S. and Japanese
dium-range target missile navy ships are already
was launched from the Pa- equipped with earlier ver-