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Edgar Maddison Welch, known for his involvement in the 2016 'Pizzagate' incident, was shot and killed by police during a traffic stop in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Welch, who was a passenger in a vehicle, was recognized by officers due to an outstanding warrant for a felony probation violation.
When officers attempted to arrest him, Welch allegedly pulled a handgun and pointed it at them. Despite repeated commands to drop the weapon, Welch did not comply, leading officers to open fire and striking him. Welch was taken to the hospital but died from his injuries on Monday (January 6).
Welch gained notoriety in 2016 when he entered Comet Ping Pong, a Washington, D.C. pizzeria, armed with an AR-15 rifle, acting on a debunked conspiracy theory that claimed the restaurant was involved in a child sex-trafficking ring. He fired shots but found no evidence of the alleged activities and surrendered to police. Welch was sentenced to four years in prison in 2017 after pleading guilty to assault and weapons charges.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the shooting, and the officers involved, Brooks Jones and Caleb Tate, are on administrative leave.