On Sunday, a North Carolina man walked into a popular pizza restaurant in Northwest Washington with a assault rifle and shot at it before being arrested. C. police said.
The man told the police that he came to the restaurant to help himself.
Investigate a false election.
Hillary Clinton's conspiracy theories circulated online during the presidential campaign.
The incident caused panic and several businesses were blocked as police flooded into the neighborhood after receiving a call before 3. m. Police said 28-year-
Edgar Madison Welch, old in Salisbury, New YorkC.
, Walk at the front door of comet table tennis and point a gun in the direction of the restaurant staff.
The employee was able to flee and inform the police.
Police say Welch began firing rifles in the restaurant.
They think all the other occupants escaped when Welch started filming.
Welch was accused of using dangerous weapons to carry out the attack.
Police said there were no reports of injuries. Interim D. C.
Police Chief Peter Newsham said police arrived at the scene a few minutes after receiving the first phone call, about 45 minutes after Welch entered the restaurant, set up a cordon and safely arrestedA D. C.
Police reported Monday that Welch carried an AR-15 assault-style rifle.
Police also seized a pony, the report said.
38 caliber pistol and shotgun.
One of the weapons was found in the restaurant;
Another one in the suspect's car.
The police did not specify the location.
The police report also described the arrest of Welch.
Police said he surrendered shortly after the police surrounded the pizza shop, holding his hands above his head.
In addition to weapons, police also seized a folding knife, the report said.
Shirts, Jersey with hats and jeans.
Vivek Jain, Potomac, Md.
At lunch at a nearby Indian restaurant, Banana Leaf, Comet customers rushed in.
The banana leaves were locked for about 90 minutes, he said.
"A group of people ran in from the comet and said a man came in with a gun," Jain said . ".
About 45 minutes later, he said, he saw a man holding his hand in the air and walking back to the street.
"He was lying on connadik Avenue and was immediately taken away by the police," he said . ".
The popular family restaurant, located in Connecticut and northwest of Nebraska Avenue near Chevrolet Chase, was swept away by the impact of popular fake news and conspiracy theories during the presidential campaign.
The owner, staff and nearby businesses of the restaurant were attacked on social media and threatened with death.
Although the police initially said the incident appeared to have nothing to do with the threat, businesses and residents immediately speculated that it might have something to do with the "pizzeria.
James Alefantis, the owner of Ping, said in a statement: "What happened today shows the consequences of promoting false and reckless conspiracy theories.
I hope that those involved in inciting these flames will take a moment to think about what is happening here today and immediately stop promoting these lies.
"A few days before the election, restaurant owners and employees were threatened on social media after false news circulating claiming
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her campaign executive run a child sex ring backstage in the restaurant.
Even Michael Flynn, a retired general.
Elected Donald Trump used national security issues to advise him and shared another counter
Clinton conspiracy theory involving pedophile
They're not true.
However, these false stories and threats still exist, some even for the children of Ping pong employees and customers.
The owner of the restaurant was forced to contact the FBI, local police, Facebook and other social networking sites
Media platforms trying to delete these articles.
Last month, Reddit banned the release of the "pizzagate" theme, citing its policy of banning the release of personal information of others.
But police said it did not stop harassment, and businesses nearby were threatened.
On Sunday, The Washington Post reporter who participated in the article became a target of cyber threats shortly after the article was published.
Matt Carr, the owner of the little red fox market and coffee shop, said his business began to be threatened last weekend.
He said they received 30 to 40 calls before they stopped answering calls for blocked numbers.
"One person said he wanted us to line up in front of the firing squad," Carl said . " Carl was blocked for more than an hour with his staff on Sunday.
He said the threats were linked to online allegations of comet table tennis.
"There are some old paintings --
They claim it is an international symbol of pedophile and an underground tunnel. . . .
There are some videos on YouTube, almost 100,000 views and talks about the name of the owner of My Little Red Fox.
"This is what we fear the most," he said. "someone will read all this and come to the block with a gun.
It happened today.
"Politics and Prose, the bookstore has been a fixed place for an institution and community in Washington for more than 30 years," bradley Graham said, when attendees and staff saw police gathering in the neighborhood, he is taking part in a book activity. owner.
Graham said they also recently received threats and planned to meet with the police on Monday, "because of our concerns, so far, A despicable, threatening verbal attack on the Internet or on the phone could escalate.
Graham said he was told that the gunman walked into the Ping kitchen on Sunday, "presumably looking for the so-called tunnel," where the children were hidden and tortured.
Graham believes that the gunman's behavior was carried out by an employee of the restaurant.
The businesses want more police protection, he said, "We also hope that law enforcement authorities will be prompted to take additional measures to close the locations where such hateful materials are being disseminated and to take measures, trying to track the threat phone. “ . . .
We were all shocked, "he said.
"Politicians have the ability to deal with conspiracy charges and threats, but your neighbor's mom and pop store don't," Carl later said in an email . ".
"I make a living with coffee and breakfast rolls.
This is our alliance. ”D. C.
Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3)
I refuel on Ping's street and saw what she said was the intense police activity around the restaurant.
She said she spoke to Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D)
The police informed him of the situation.
In an interview with reporters, Cheh did not know that the gunman's behavior was related to false rumors surrounding comet table tennis, but she expressed concern.
"This is very, very worrying," Cheh said . ".
"I'm just worried [the rumors]
It is possible to let unstable people take violent action, as before.
She praised the police for their speed of response, saying it may have prevented the attack.
"Everything looks so efficient and professional.
I'm glad it was locked so quickly.
When 47-year-old Gareth Wade and 50-year-old Doug Clark sat down on the comet for pizza and beer, they found a commotion.
Wade said: "Suddenly, the waiter said someone came in with a shotgun.
"A man has just walked into the building, passed by us and walked into the back of the building, and he seems to be holding a shotgun or rifle --type of [gun]
"We should vacate the building," Wade recalls . ".
They rushed out of the restaurant and planned to go to Politics and Prose, Clark's wife and 5-year-
The old ones hid, but they separated.
When Clark and Wade tried to join, they met a large number of police officers.
"The police say you can't go to the bookstore," Wade said . ".
In the end, they were behind the police barricades on connadik Avenue and felendon Street.
Clark's wife and son were forced to stay in the bookstore.
Meanwhile, Clark tried to reunite his son with a gift he received on his fifth birthday, a stuffed lion forced to leave the restaurant.
"He was a little shocked by the whole thing," Clark said . ".
"We have been talking about it and trying to help him understand it.
He's a man with weapons. weapons are bad.
He is not a good man.
Steve Hendricks and Valerie Strauss contributed to the report.