Photo by Christopher Chen.

Photo by Christopher Chen.

The alleged Comet Ping Pong gunman gave himself up to police after he found no evidence of child trafficking in the Chevy Chase pizzeria, according to the criminal complaint following his first appearance at D.C. Superior Court on Monday evening.

Edgar Maddison Welch came from North Carolina to “self-investigate” the already-disproven claims, known online as “Pizzagate,” which have led to harassment and threats for Comet Ping Pong and neighboring businesses.

Welch allegedly entered the pizzeria with an AR-15 on Sunday afternoon. He pointed it at an employee, who escaped to call police, and fired three shots, according to MPD.

While employees and customers fled the Connecticut Ave. restaurant, Welch searched for a basement that served as a site for Hillary Clinton and other Democratic elites’ Satanic child trafficking ring, based on online slander that began shortly before the election. After finding nothing, Welch surrendered to police outside.

He was charged with four gun-related offenses on Monday and remains in custody. He has a preliminary hearing this Thursday at 9 a.m.

According to the criminal complaint, Welch “read online that the Comet restaurant was harboring child sex slaves and that he wanted to see for himself if they were there … [He] stated he was armed to help rescue them.”

Comet Ping Pong had increased security at its events last week, after the harassment resulting from these vicious rumors continued.

The Pizzagate theory, which emerged on social media sites like 4chan, Reddit, and Twitter, is based on the hacked emails of Clinton campaign chair John Podesta and the idea—without substantiation—that his use of the word “pizza” surely could not mean the food, and instead must stand for “child trafficking.”

When published emails included some between Podesta and Comet owner James Alefantis discussing a fundraiser, self-termed investigators became convinced that the pizzeria was part of the plot.

“Let me state unequivocally—these stories are completely and entirely false,” said Alefantis on Sunday night. “I hope that those that are involved with fanning these flames will take a moment to contemplate what happened here tonight, and to stop right away.”

Attempts to disprove the theory and the shuttering of a popular subreddit did nothing to dampen the fervor.

“It’s a surprise that someone showed up [at Comet Ping Pong] and yet it’s not a surprise,” said D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson on the Kojo Nnamdi Show. “It’s a byproduct of this nasty talk, this talk of intolerance.”

Some might think that what happened Sunday could throw cold water on Pizzagate—after all, someone investigated and found no proof of a Satanic sex ring. But already, other theorists are convinced that Welch is just another part of the conspiracy.

And it’s not only anonymous internet trolls who subscribe to the theory. Michael G. Flynn, the son of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for national security adviser, tweeted on Sunday that “Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, it’ll remain a story.”

Since then, he has been retweeting accounts calling Welch a “crisis actor” and doubling down on the disproven theory. He has an official government transition email address. Vice President-elect Mike Pence said today that Flynn Jr. “has no involvement in the transition whatsoever.”

The community continues to support Comet Ping Pong, which reopens today after giving employees the day off on Monday.

More than a thousand people have pledged to “Stand With Comet,” and eat at the pizzeria on Friday.

“Sunday’s events were absolutely appalling and thank God no one was hurt,” says event organizer Erick Sanchez. “Comet Ping Pong needs to know that it’s an establishment that the D.C. community is proud of.”

Updated to clarify that, while Welch searched for a basement, he did not find one, because Comet Ping Pong does not have one.

Filed Under: comet ping pong, d.c. police, Edgar Maddison Welch, pizzagate,