The individual involved in the Pizzagate frenzy who made an armed entrance into Comet Ping Pong eatery located in Washington D.C. near the end of 2016, was eventually shot by authorities on Jan. 4, and passed away last Monday, as revealed by a statement from the Kannapolis Police Department in North Carolina. Edgar Maddison Welch found himself as a traveler within a car that was stopped by police on the night of Saturday Jan. 4 whilst navigating a gray 2001 GMC Yukon, according to the Kannapolis Police Department.

“The officer identified the vehicle as one typically operated by a person he had apprehended previously, who also had a pending warrant for arrest. An officer initiated a vehicle stop and while engaging with the driver, the officer identified the front passenger as the individual with the outstanding warrant,” the Kannapolis Police stated.

The statement from the police department conveys that while the officer was conversing with the driver, additional officers arrived at the location, prompting the initial officer to open the front passenger’s door.

“As the officer opened the door, the front seat occupant withdrew a firearm from his coat, aiming it at the officer,” as stated by the police. “The officer along with a second officer that stood by the rear passenger side of the Yukon ordered the passenger to disarm. Upon the passenger’s non-compliance, both officers discharged their service pistols towards the passenger, hitting him.”

The police statement asserts that medical help was “promptly called for the passenger” and Welch was moved to the Atrium Health Cabarrus medical center in Concord, later being transferred to an Atrium facility in Charlotte where he succumbed on Jan. 6.

“The trio of officers at the traffic stop, along with the driver and a rear seat occupant of the Yukon all remained unharmed during this encounter,” as stated in the report.

Officers Brooks Jones and Caleb Tate, who opened fire, are presently on paid leave, though specific information on the number of shots fired and who might have struck Welch weren’t disclosed. A third officer present, who remained unnamed, didn’t discharge their weapon.

In the month of Dec. 2016, Welch made the journey from North Carolina to Washington D.C. in search of children he believed were being held hostage and mistreated in the restaurant’s undesignated basement, a narrative linking back to the ex-presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton which spread wildly online before the 2016 election. With an AR-15 and a revolver in his possession, leaving a shotgun in his vehicle, Welch thrust into Comet Ping Pong, inciting panic among families present. He was reportedly taken aback upon learning that Comet Ping Pong lacks a basement—a pivotal aspect of the conspiracy alleging child trafficking and maltreatment there. Pizzagate ignited following the disclosure of emails from Clinton’s campaign manager John Podesta by WikiLeaks, which captivated conspiracy theorists intrigued by pizza-related discourse and mentions of the Washington D.C. pizza establishment.

Alex Jones played a pivotal role in amplifying the conspiracy theory alongside other right-wing figures like Mike Cernovich and Jack Posobiec. By 2024, Posobiec has gained further prominence serving as the editor of Human Events—a “news” platform producing narratives occasionally shared by president-elect Donald Trump. Cernovich also holds sway in the 2020s as he frequently engages with wealthy entrepreneur Elon Musk.

“Reflecting on the multitude of children Hillary Clinton has personally assaulted, dismembered, and raped leaves me without fear in opposing her,” expressed Jones in a now-removed YouTube video posted on Nov. 4, 2016, per the Washington Post. “Yes, you got me right. Hillary Clinton has demonstratively murdered children. I find myself unable to withhold the reality anymore.”

Jones was subsequently banned from YouTube and various mainstream social networks, though he returned to X following its acquisition by Musk. The InfoWars host hasn’t yet provided any commentary on Welch’s demise, though it’s anticipated he may do so in the future.

Welch, in 2017, acknowledged guilt regarding transporting a firearm and ammunition across state lines, resulting in a four-year imprisonment. Post-arrest, Welch informed the New York Times, “I regret my approach to the situation,” yet seemed unwavering in his belief in the Pizzagate conspiracy, admitting only that “the intel wasn’t entirely accurate.”