A man wearing only a green jacket shot up a Waffle House in Tennessee, killing four people and wounding several others. The suspect has been identified as 29-year-old Travis Reinking from Illinois. Police state that they are currently unaware of a motive, but “suspect some mental issues.”
After being disarmed by a heroic customer, Reinking reportedly fled the scene completely naked and is still at large. He was last seen wearing black pants and no shirt. It is possible he still has two guns in his possession.
Four people were killed and several others were injured in a shooting at a Waffle House in Tennessee early Sunday, authorities said. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department identified the suspect as 29-year-old Travis Reinking of Morton, Illinois, who was still at large Sunday afternoon.The shooting took place at the Waffle House located at 3571 Murfreesboro Pike in Antioch around 3 a.m. local time.Reinking arrived at the Waffle House parking lot, exited his truck and began firing an AR-15 at two people outside the restaurant, Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said. He then went inside the restaurant and opened fire.Authorities discovered two magazines of AR-15 ammunition in a green jacket Reinking left behind. “He clearly came armed with a lot of firepower to devastate the south Nashville area,” Aaron said.”There is a chance that Reinking is at large with two other weapons,” he added.Police said they were not aware any motives for the shooting.”We suspect some mental issues but at this time there’s no notes, no verbal explanations so we don’t have a motive at this time,” Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said in a news conference Sunday.
An urgent manhunt is underway Sunday for a shooter who gunned down at least four people and injured several others at a Tennessee Waffle House before a “hero” patron wrestled the weapon away, police said.
Authorities surrounded an apartment complex where they believe alleged gunman Travis Reinking, 29, may be hiding after he shot at patrons at a Waffle House in Antioch, located about 16 miles southeast of downtown Nashville. They reportedly later cleared the area after it appeared Reinking was not there.
“A man believed to be Travis Reinking was last seen in a wood line near Discovery at Mountain View Apts. on Mountain Springs Dr. near the Waffle House. The man was seen wearing black pants and no shirt,” Nashville police tweeted just after 8 a.m. Sunday, the last time he was spotted.
James Shaw, Jr., the heroic Waffle House patron who disarmed the suspect, recounts that he saw an opportunity to tackle the suspect and took it.
Shaw wrestled the gun away and tossed it behind the counter before pushing the suspect out of the Waffle House. Shaw says that he “doesn’t feel like a hero.”
A 29-year-old man credited with saving numerous lives Sunday morning after he disarmed a man who opened fire on an Antioch Waffle House said he was just trying to stay alive.
James Shaw Jr., 29, said after feeling cornered he saw an opportunity to tackle the man shooting into an Antioch Waffle House. He said he doesn’t feel like a hero.
. . . . Shaw Jr. can’t recall how many shots there were, just that a man was on the floor. Shaw Jr. said he jumped toward the bathroom and the suspect shot in that direction. He said he was grazed by a bullet.
“I remember I was like ‘Dang, I’m basically in a barrel,’ ” Shaw Jr. said. “There is no place for me to go.”
As the suspect came through the door, he needed to reload, Shaw Jr. said. That’s when he said he rushed him.
“When he came in, I distinctively remember thinking that he is going to have to work for this kill,” Shaw Jr. said. “I had a chance to stop him and thankfully I stopped him.”
He added: “I grabbed the gun and kept it down. He had one hand on it. I pulled it away and threw it over the bar.”
Shaw Jr. said he pushed the suspect outside and the shooter walked quickly away.
Reinking was arrested by the Secret Service last year when he was found in a restricted area near the White House.
Authorities say the suspect in a deadly shooting at a restaurant in Nashville was arrested last year by the U.S. Secret Service for being in a restricted area near the White House.Metro Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron said 29-year-old Travis Reinking’s firearms authorization was then revoked at the request of the FBI, and four weapons were seized, including the AK-15 that he allegedly used in the shooting at the Waffle House restaurant early Sunday. Four people were killed.Aaron says the four guns were returned to the suspect’s father, who acknowledged giving them back to his son.
This is a developing story, so we will provide updates as more becomes known.
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