Police in Washington, D.C., arrested a North Carolina man with an assault rifle at a popular pizza restaurant that fell victim to a conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
Police said 28-year-old Edgar Maddison Welch, of Salisbury, N.C., walked into Comet Ping Pong on Sunday and aimed his firerm in the direction of an employee. The employee fled and notified police. Welch then fired at least one shot inside the establishment.
He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon.
The restaurant was part of fake news stories spread about the Democratic presidential nominee and one of her top campaign aides, claiming they were running a child sex ring from the restaurant.
Owner James Alefantis told the New York Times before the election that his business and employees received endless threats after the fake story went viral.
Welch told police he went to the restaurant to “self-investigate” the conspiracy theory.
There is no evidence that the restaurant or its employees engaged in sex trafficking.
