New York City – An unsettling scene unfolded during the opening of WikiConference North America 2025 when an Ohio man reportedly stormed the stage armed with a gun, leading to chaos at Manhattan’s Civic Hall on Friday morning. The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Connor Weston from Dayton, has been arrested and faces charges of criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment.
The incident occurred around 9 a.m. when Weston, brandishing a firearm, leaped onto the stage and threatened to kill himself, all while wearing a sign that read “non-offending pedophile.” Witnesses and organizers described a moment of sheer panic, but swift actions taken by event coordinators Richard Knipel and Andrew Lih prevented any tragedy. Within moments, the two intervened, tackling Weston and disarming him before law enforcement arrived.
“I grabbed his arm… He was still clutching his gun pretty hard,” Lih recounted in an interview with The New York Times. “I pried his fingers away from it and put it down.” Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the aftermath of the incident.
In light of the event, Wikimedia Foundation CEO Maryana Iskander expressed gratitude toward the organizers for their bravery, stating, “I thank them for saving my life.” Despite the unsettling episode, the remainder of the conference resumed the following day, albeit after Friday’s events were canceled.
Authorities investigating Weston’s background revealed that he had previously identified online as an “anti-contact non-offending pedophile,” a term described by Johns Hopkins University as individuals who experience attraction to minors but do not act on it. The incident has sparked conversations around safety and mental health, particularly within public spaces.
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