Police: 4 Dead, 2 Wounded In Shooting At Waffle House Near Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Police in Tennessee say four people are dead after a gunman opened fire at a Waffle House restaurant early Sunday.

The gunman shot people in the parking lot before entering the restaurant in Antioch, roughly 20 minutes from downtown Nashville. The gunman continued firing until a customer grabbed the rifle, Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said.

Two people were also wounded before the gunman, identified as 29-year-old Travis Reinking of Illinois, fled. A massive manhunt is currently underway.

In a news release, Metropolitan Nashville Police identified those killed as 29-year-old restaurant worker Taurean C. Sanderlin of Goodlettsville, 20-year-old restaurant patron Joe R. Perez of Nashville, and 23-year-old Akilah Dasilva of Nashville.

The statement says Sanderlin and Perez were killed outside the restaurant and Dasilva was critically wounded inside and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Deebony Groves, a 21-year-old woman from Gallatin, Tennessee, was fatally wounded inside the restaurant.

Also being treated for gunshot wounds at Vanderbilt are 21-year-old Shanita Waggoner and 24-year-old Sharita Henderson, both of Nashville.

Witnesses said Reinking arrived in his pickup truck.

"He got out. There were persons outside the restaurant talking. He shot them. He then went inside the restaurant. More shots were fired, and one of the patrons was hit," Aaron said.

Police identified the man who grabbed the weapon as 29-year-old James Shaw Jr.

"As he was shooting, a patron of the restaurant, James Shaw Jr., ran to the restroom area of the Waffle House, saw that the shooting had stopped, and saw an opportunity to intervene," Aaron said.

"When I was in the ambulance to hospital I kept thinking that I'm going to wake up and it's not going to be real," Shaw said. "It is something out a movie. I'm OK though, but I hate that it happened."

In a bizarre twist, police say Reinking was only wearing a coat when he opened fire. He then removed the coat and was believed to be nude when he left the restaurant.

The U.S. Secret Service said they arrested Reinking in 2017 for allegedly crossing an exterior security barrier near the White House.

In a Sunday afternoon press conference, Aaron said the 29-year-old's firearms authorization was then revoked at the request of the FBI, and four weapons were seized, including the AR-15 that he allegedly used in the shooting at the Waffle House.

Aaron said the four guns were returned to the suspect's father, who acknowledged giving them back to his son.

Police have the AR-15 and another gun found during a search earlier Sunday. But two other guns are unaccounted for, and authorities fear Reinking may be at large and armed with the weapons.

"We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident," Waffle House said in a statement. Waffle House said there is an active investigation, and deferred all questions to police.

'This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family, and we ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers," the statement said said.

Nashville Mayor David Briley described the shooting as "a tragic day" for the city.

"My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded," Briley said in an emailed statement. "I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime."

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, whose district includes Nashville, said in an emailed statement that the shooting shows the need for tighter restrictions on "widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons."

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said he and his wife, Crissy, "are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Antioch early this morning, and we mourn the lives taken in this senseless act of violence."

If you see Reinking, police ask that you call 615-862-8600 immediately.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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