This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/05/gunman-detained-at-comet-pizza-restaurant-was-self-investigating-fake-news-reports
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Washington gunman motivated by fake news 'Pizzagate' conspiracy Washington gunman motivated by fake news 'Pizzagate' conspiracy | |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| US police have arrested a man wielding an assault rifle who entered a pizza restaurant that was the target of fake news reports it was operating a child abuse ring led by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her top campaign aide. | US police have arrested a man wielding an assault rifle who entered a pizza restaurant that was the target of fake news reports it was operating a child abuse ring led by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her top campaign aide. |
| An unidentified 35-year-old man was being held for questioning after police were called to the Comet Ping Pong restaurant in Washington near the Maryland border, said Aquita Brown, a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police Department in the nation’s capital. | An unidentified 35-year-old man was being held for questioning after police were called to the Comet Ping Pong restaurant in Washington near the Maryland border, said Aquita Brown, a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police Department in the nation’s capital. |
| The suspect entered the restaurant and pointed a gun at a restaurant employee, who fled and notified authorities, police said. The man then discharged the weapon inside the restaurant. There were no injuries. | The suspect entered the restaurant and pointed a gun at a restaurant employee, who fled and notified authorities, police said. The man then discharged the weapon inside the restaurant. There were no injuries. |
| Two weapons were found inside the restaurant and a third one was recovered from the man’s vehicle, police added. | Two weapons were found inside the restaurant and a third one was recovered from the man’s vehicle, police added. |
| They said the suspect during an interview with investigators revealed that he came to the establishment to “self-investigate” Pizzagate, the police statement said. Pizzagate is a baseless conspiracy, which falsely claims Clinton and her campaign chief John Podesta were running a child sex ring from the restaurant’s backrooms. | They said the suspect during an interview with investigators revealed that he came to the establishment to “self-investigate” Pizzagate, the police statement said. Pizzagate is a baseless conspiracy, which falsely claims Clinton and her campaign chief John Podesta were running a child sex ring from the restaurant’s backrooms. |
| Police said there was no active investigation of child abuse allegations relating to the restaurant. | Police said there was no active investigation of child abuse allegations relating to the restaurant. |
| A Reuters witness at the restaurant with his one-year-old child said it was crowded when the gunman entered, with many families dining. | A Reuters witness at the restaurant with his one-year-old child said it was crowded when the gunman entered, with many families dining. |
| Last month, various media outlets, including the Washington Post and New York Times, reported on internet postings that had sparked death threats against the owner of the restaurant. | Last month, various media outlets, including the Washington Post and New York Times, reported on internet postings that had sparked death threats against the owner of the restaurant. |
| The attack on Comet was considered an example of how fake news reports that proliferated during the election year impacted people’s lives. | The attack on Comet was considered an example of how fake news reports that proliferated during the election year impacted people’s lives. |
| Comet is a DC pizza place that has been the subject of vile anti-Hillary internet conspiracies. And here we are: https://t.co/kwRLzr8BrR | Comet is a DC pizza place that has been the subject of vile anti-Hillary internet conspiracies. And here we are: https://t.co/kwRLzr8BrR |
| A fake news story was even tweeted by General Mike Flynn, Donald Trump’s pick for national security adviser. In the 3 November tweet he linked to a discredited story that suggested Hillary Clinton and her “crew” were involved in child abuse and added the comment “U decide.” | A fake news story was even tweeted by General Mike Flynn, Donald Trump’s pick for national security adviser. In the 3 November tweet he linked to a discredited story that suggested Hillary Clinton and her “crew” were involved in child abuse and added the comment “U decide.” |
| U decide - NYPD Blows Whistle on New Hillary Emails: Money Laundering, Sex Crimes w Children, etc...MUST READ! https://t.co/O0bVJT3QDr | U decide - NYPD Blows Whistle on New Hillary Emails: Money Laundering, Sex Crimes w Children, etc...MUST READ! https://t.co/O0bVJT3QDr |
| After the incident at Comet, the police department said in a statement that it was “monitoring the situation and aware of general threats being made against this establishment.” | After the incident at Comet, the police department said in a statement that it was “monitoring the situation and aware of general threats being made against this establishment.” |
| “We’ve directed the staff to notify MPD should they receive specific threats or have concerns about their safety.“ | “We’ve directed the staff to notify MPD should they receive specific threats or have concerns about their safety.“ |
| The Reuters witness who was inside Comet at around 3pm ET (2000 GMT) said he was paying his bill when he saw a man entering the restaurant’s front door. “It appeared to us he had a long rifle with him. We scattered,” he said. | The Reuters witness who was inside Comet at around 3pm ET (2000 GMT) said he was paying his bill when he saw a man entering the restaurant’s front door. “It appeared to us he had a long rifle with him. We scattered,” he said. |
| The restaurant began to empty and some staff also exited, according to the witness. | The restaurant began to empty and some staff also exited, according to the witness. |
| A police department tweet later stated, “Suspect armed w/assault rifle taken into custody.” | A police department tweet later stated, “Suspect armed w/assault rifle taken into custody.” |
| Reuters contributed to this report | Reuters contributed to this report |