Suspected Tenn. shooter caught

29-year-old’s dad could face charges for returning guns

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The mentally unstable gunman suspected of opening fire at a Waffle House restaurant in the middle of the night was arrested not far from his apartment Monday after hiding from police for more than a day following the attack that killed four people, authorities said.

Authorities had mounted a massive manhunt for 29-year-old Travis Reinking, after the Sunday morning attacks, in which a gunman clad only in a jacket used an AR-15 rifle to kill four and injure others.

Police spokesman Don Aaron said Reinking requested a lawyer, was taken to a hospital and would later be booked on four counts of criminal homicide.

Reinking opened firein the Waffle House parking lot and then stormed the restaurant shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday, police say.

Meanwhile, authorities in Illinois shared past reports suggesting multiple red flags about a disturbed young man with paranoid delusions.

In May 2016, Reinking told deputies from Tazewell County, Illinois, that music superstar Taylor Swift was stalking him and hacking his phone and that his family was also involved, according to a report released Sunday.

Another sheriff ’s report said Reinking barged into a community pool in Tremont, Illinois, in June, and jumped into the water wearing a pink woman’s coat over his underwear.

In July, Reinking was arrested by the U.S. Secret Service after he entered a restricted area near the White House and refused to leave, saying he wanted to meet President Donald Trump. Reinking was not armed at the time, but at the FBI’S request, state police in Illinois revoked his state firearms card and seized four guns from him, authorities said.

The AR-15 used in the shootings was among the firearms seized.

In August, Reinking told police he wanted to file a report about 20 to 30 people tapping into his computer and phone and people “barking like dogs” outside his residence, according to a report.

Tazewell County Sheriff Robert Huston said deputies returned the guns to Reinking’s father on the promise that he would “keep the weapons secure and out of the possession of Travis.”

Reinking’s father “has now acknowledged giving them back” to his son, Aaron said.

The victims fatally shot in the parking lot have been identified as Taurean Sanderlin, 29, of Goodlettsville, and Joe Perez, 20, of Nashville.

One of the fatally wounded inside was Deebony Groves, a 21-year student at Nashville’s Belmont University.

Akilah Dasilva was also killed inside the restaurant. The 23-yearold from Antioch was a rap artist and music video producer.