Nashville Waffle House Killer Arrested

Nashville Waffle House Killer Arrested

Jocelyn Reeder, Feature Editor

An intense manhunt has ended for the suspect in a Waffle House restaurant shooting that ended with four people being killed. Travis Reinking has been arrested. He was taken into custody at 1:07 pm in a wooded area less than a mile from his apartment complex.

Reinking was nearly naked, wearing only a green jacket and raising an assault-style rifle when he opened fire in the parking lot. He stormed to the restaurant early Sunday, police stated. In addition to the four people who were killed, there were four that were wounded. A customer, 29-year-old James Shaw Jr, wrestled the gun away from the suspect which prevented even greater loss of life.

Travis Reinking did not resist when police captured him. He was taken to a precinct where he requested a lawyer and wouldn’t speak to the investigators. It is still not clear as to why Reinking opened fire on the restaurant. Police say he may have mental issues. Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson stated, “He was considered armed and dangerous, because he was known to have owned a handgun authorities have not recovered.” He has had run-ins with the authorities before. In July of 2017 he was arrested by U.S. Secret Service for being in a restricted area near the White House. He wanted to meet with President Trump.

In a tweet, Nashville Mayor David Briley reported, “The people of Antioch and all of Nashville can breathe a sign of relief.” Steve Anderson called the arrest a “team effort” and praised all the citizens who called in the sighting. The woman who called 911 told reporters she was working near a construction site when she saw a man who looked like Reinking in the distance running behind a school and through tall grass.