At least four people died when a nearly nude gunman opened fire at a Waffle House restaurant near Nashville, Tennessee early Sunday, and police were issuing murder warrants as they hunted for the suspect.
Police identified Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, Illinois who was believed to live near the restaurant, as a suspect in the carnage. They said the gunman’s vehicle was registered to him and a shirtless man wearing pants believed to be Reinking was spotted in woods near the restaurant.
“Murder warrants are now being drafted against Travis Reinking,” police said on Twitter.
Although police were referring to Reinking as “a person of interest,” police said “person of interest is synonymous to suspect” in this case.
The gunman, who was naked except for a green jacket, shot and killed two people in the parking lot of the restaurant in southeast Nashville. He then entered the restaurant and opened fire, police said, killing one patron and wounding another, who later died. One diner who had hidden near the restrooms dashed out and pulled the rifle from the gunman.
The death toll could have been higher if not for fast action by a 29-year-old “hero” who snatched away the shooter’s AR-15 assault-type rifle, likely saving many more lives, said Nashville Police.
“The shots had stopped so he decided to rush the gunman, actually wrestled that assault rifle away, tossed it over the counter and, at that point, the gunman fled,” police said. As he ran away, the shooter discarded the jacket, which contained additional ammunition, according to police.
TheSource.com will bring you more details on this story as it develops.
