Naked gunman kills 4 in Waffle House shooting
Nashville Police are warning residents to keep their doors locked and their eyes open for a partially nude man following a shooting early Sunday morning that left four people dead.
A man wearing only a green jacket shot three people dead at a Waffle House. One person later died at a hospital where two others are being treated for injuries. Police say the suspect fled on foot, and is still on the loose. Eye witnesses tell police he stripped his jacket off near the restaurant, went back to his nearby apartment and put on a pair of pants. He was last seen wearing only black pants.
Waffle House: 6 persons shot, 4 fatally (3 died at the scene, 1 at the hospital). The 2 others are being treated at Vanderbilt. Search continuing for Travis Reinking. pic.twitter.com/ioR7cVq899
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018
The police have identified the suspect as 29-year-old Travis Reinking of Morton, Ill. According to police spokesperson Dan Aaron, Reinking drove his pickup truck to the restaurant in Antioch, Tenn. and shot people talking in the parking lot, then continued on and opened fire inside.
A Waffle House patron who saw that the gunman was “apparently struggling or looking at” with his rifle, and took advantage of the moment by “rushing him,” wresting the gun away and throwing it behind the counter – prompting the gunman to leave.
“He is the hero here, and no doubt he saved many lives,” Aaron said. The patron suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Reinking is known to both federal and Nashville police authorities.
Waffle House called it a sad day for the restaurant’s family.
This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family. We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.
— Waffle House News (@WaffleHouseNews) April 22, 2018
Nashville’s Mayor David Briley also took to Twitter to express his condolences.
It’s a tragic day for our city anytime people lose their lives at the hands of a gunman. My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this morning’s shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime.
— Mayor David Briley (@MayorBriley) April 22, 2018
Adding on Twitter, “There’s clearly more to be said about these circumstances, but for now I ask Nashville to pray for and rally around these victims.”