Edgar Maddison Welch
Quick Summary
Edgar Maddison Welch was a man who became involved in the debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory. This theory falsely claimed that the Comet Ping Pong restaurant in Washington, D.C., was a front for a child pornography ring led by Democrats.
On December 4, 2016, Welch, armed with multiple firearms, entered Comet Ping Pong. He fired shots inside the restaurant but found no evidence to support the conspiracy theory. Fortunately, no one was injured. Welch was subsequently arrested and later sentenced to four years in prison for federal arms charges, though he was released in May 2020. Pizzagate is considered a precursor to the QAnon conspiracy theory.12
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