Overview
Pizzagate emerged during the 2016 U.S. presidential election after John Podesta's private emails were leaked by WikiLeaks. Internet users on platforms like 4chan and Reddit interpreted coded language in the emails—specifically references to "cheese pizza" (CP)—as code for child pornography and trafficking.
The Targeted Location
The theory alleged that Comet Ping Pong, a pizza parlor in Washington, D.C., was the hub of the operation.
Violent Escalation
On December 4, 2016, Edgar Maddison Welch arrived at Comet Ping Pong with an AR-15 rifle to "self-investigate" the claims. He fired three shots and was arrested.