Edgar Welch, the gunman who fired a rifle inside the Comet Ping Pong pizzeria associated with “Pizzagate,” has been shot and killed during a traffic stop in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Welch, 36, discharged three shots inside the Washington, D.C., pizzeria in 2016. Pizzagate posited that the venue was linked to a child sex ring.
This past weekend, Kannapolis Police conducted a traffic stop where Welch was identified due to an outstanding warrant. According to a police statement, an officer approached the vehicle from the passenger side, intending to arrest Welch. Upon opening the door, Welch allegedly drew a handgun from his jacket and aimed it at the officer. Despite repeated commands to disarm, Welch did not comply, leading both officers at the scene to open fire. He died two days later.
“Pizzagate” began circulating in 2016 amid the U.S. presidential contest between Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump. It linked Hillary Clinton’s campaign staff, particularly John Podesta, to a child trafficking ring supposedly run out of Comet Ping Pong.
Leaked emails between Podesta, Clinton’s campaign chairman, and others were suspected of referring to children using “pizza,” “hot dogs,” and similar terms as codewords.
