North Carolina arrest records show his criminal history includes drug and alcohol charges. In October, Welch was involved in an accident that seriously inured a 13-year-old boy walking near the Food Lion warehouse on Harrison Road, according to police.
Several days prior to the restaurant shooting, Welch was removed from a list of volunteers at the Spencer Fire Department. The fire department said he was hired in May as a volunteer firefighter. Soon after, he stopped attending training and answering alarms, the fire department said in a news release. He was removed from the fire department’s roster on Nov. 30.
Welch is listed in the credits of minor films in roles that include extra and production assistant.
Welch is the son of former Register of Deeds Harry L. Welch Jr. He is also the grandson of Harry Lee Welch Sr., who managed and owned WSAT radio station, was a Rowan County commissioner in the 1960s and is in the Rowan County Sports Hall of Fame.
During a 2009 break from taking classes at Cape Fear Community College, Welch attempted to hike the Colorado Trail, which spans 500 miles. He made it halfway through the trek when he hit two feet of snow that prevented him from continuing, according to a 2009 Salisbury Post story. After the experience, Welch told the Salisbury Post he found himself craving the outdoors and had broken his addiction to the internet.
Some family members and friends didn’t respond on Monday to requests for comment from the Salisbury Post. Others declined to comment.
Court records show Welch is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Thursday in a Washington D.C. court.
