Edgar Maddison Welch, notorious for the 2016 "Pizzagate" incident, was shot and killed by police in Kannapolis, North Carolina during a traffic stop late Saturday night, according to local media reports. Welch gained infamy by storming into Comet Ping Pong, a Washington, D.C. pizzeria, armed with weapons following an unfounded conspiracy theory that claimed prominent Democrats were operating a child sex trafficking ring from the establishment (source: India Times).

The incident unfolded just after 10 p.m. when officers recognized a vehicle linked to an individual with an outstanding felony warrant. Welch, a passenger in the car, reportedly drew a handgun and pointed it at the officers when they approached to make an arrest. Despite officers' commands to drop the weapon, he did not comply, prompting two officers to fire, hitting him. Welch was hospitalized following the incident but succumbed to his injuries two days later (source: HuffPost).

Welch's infamous background traces back to December 2016, when he traveled from North Carolina to D.C. armed with three loaded firearms to investigate the Pizzagate conspiracy. He believed the restaurant was harboring evidence of child trafficking and discharged his weapon while inside, but no one was injured as he subsequently surrendered upon realizing the rumors were false. Welch pled guilty in 2017 to federal charges related to the incident and served four years in prison before being released (source: USA Today).

In the aftermath of Welch's death, the shooting is now under investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, with the involved officers currently on administrative leave, a standard procedure following such incidents. The District Attorney will determine the next steps based on the investigation's findings (source: India Times).

This incident reignites discussions on the implications of conspiracy theories in real-life violence and the responsibilities of individuals who propagate such narratives. The community’s response to both Welch’s past actions and his recent death continues to unfold.