Waffle House Shooting Suspect From Morton, Illinois
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The search for answers and the suspect in the Waffle House shooting leads to Illinois.
The rifle used in the Nashville-area shooting early Sunday was seized by authorities in Tazwell County.
CBS 2's Lauren Victory reports from Morton, Illinois.
The village is about a two and a half hour drive from Chicago. Its population is around 17,000.
"I think we're known most famously as the pumpkin capitol of the world," said Morton resident Dale Colby.
The central Illinois community is now on the map as the hometown of suspected Waffle House shooter Travis Reinking.
"I don't know Travis that well. I know his parents a lot better," said Colby. "They're established people. They're well-liked. They're church-going people. This is just something you would not expect."
CBS 2 was told ATF agents were at the family's home searching for weapons. Police say Travis Reinking, accused of killing four people at random at a Waffle House near Nashville has his Illinois firearms license and guns taken away from him months ago.
"Among the weapons seized by those authorities was the AR-15 rifle used at the Waffle House," said Don Aaron of the Metropolitan Nashville Police. "The police department has received information that the guns were returned by Tazewell County authorities to Reinking's father who has now acknowledged giving them back to his son."
"His father was present and had a valid FOID card and had the legal right to take custody of the weapons," said Tazewell County Sheriff Robert Huston. "He was allowed to do that after he assured deputies that he would keep them secure and away from Travis."
Sheriff's deputies were posted outside the family's crane business just outside Morton. Police say the 29-year-old was recently fired from his job in the same industry near Nashville.
The Tazewell County sheriff said his deputies were very familiar with Travis Reinking. CBS 2 was provided a packet of incident reports including one that said Reinking was hostile towards police.