Gunman Opens Fire at Waffle House Killing 4, Suspect Still At Large
A Waffle House in Nashville, Tennessee, became a place of terror early Sunday morning when a gunman opened fire and killed four people.
According to CNN, authorities have asked local residents to keep their doors locked and remain on alert for any sign of the gunman, who they described as a “nude” man walking around the neighborhood.
“Keep your doors locked, keep your eyes open. If you see this individual — if you see a nude guy walking around this morning — call the police department immediately,” said Metro Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron.
Police have identified a person of interest in the shooting, 29-year-old Travis Reinking, a resident of Morton, Illinois. The say the truck the gunman arrived at the restaurant in is registered to Reinking.
Anyone who sees Reinking is urged to call police immediately.
After sitting in the truck, the gunman left the vehicle at around 3:23 a.m. bearing an “assault-type rifle” as he approached the Waffle House, police said.
According to authorities, the shooter then opened fire and fatally shot two people just outside the restaurant before going inside.
“He then went inside the restaurant (and) continued firing,” Aaron said.
As two others were fatally shot, some of the witnesses suffered cuts and scrapes on their faces from windows that had been shattered by the gunfire.
However, authorities said there may have been more victims had a customer not stepped up to confront the shooter.
Police said the customer hid near the restaurant’s bathrooms and monitored where the gunman was in the restaurant before taking it upon himself to try and and stop him.
“He saw the gunman looking at his rifle,” said Aaron. “At that point, the shots had stopped. So he decided to rush the gunman, actually wrestled that assault rifle away, tossed it over the counter. At that point, the gunman then fled.”
“He is the hero here, and no doubt he saved many lives by wrestling the gun away and then tossing it over the counter, and prompting the man to leave,” Aaron added.
The shooter left his jacket at the scene before fleeing on foot, police said.
“A man believed to be Travis Reinking was last seen in a wood line near Discovery at Mountain View Apts. on Mountain Springs Drive near the Waffle House,” police tweeted. “The man was seen wearing black pants and no shirt.”
Police currently believe the motive for the shooting rampage was random, according to CNN.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
