Shooting suspect arrested last year near White House

AUTHORITIES SAY the suspect in a deadly shooting at a restaurant in Nashville was arrested last year by the US 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 AR15 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.

Police have the AR-15 and another gun found during a search earlier Sunday. But two other guns are unaccounted for. Aaron says Reinking is still at large following the 3:25 a.m. shooting and could possibly be armed with the two guns.

A US congressman is calling for restricting access to some assault weapons in the wake of the shooting.

Rep Jim Cooper issued a statement Sunday calling for restricting “widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons”.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department says the gunman was a white man with short hair who was wearing only black pants and a coat. A customer at the restaurant took the gun from the suspect, who then took off his coat and fled the area.

Police said via their Twitter account that authorities are searching for Reinking. They said they named him as a suspect because the car that the gunman arrived in was registered to him.