Gunman With Ties To Colorado Arrested In Waffle House Shooting
(CBS4) - The man wanted for opening fire at a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville lived in Colorado. Travis Reinking was arrested around noon on Monday and he had a Colorado driver's license, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department.
Beginning in August 2016, he was employed by Rocky Mountain Crane Service in Salida. Dave Warren worked with Reinking.
"Reinking was a good kid - a darn hard worker and a good operator," Warren told CBS4 investigator Rick Sallinger. He added "something must have happened."
He lasted only one day on the job because he showed up for work late.
The Mountain Mail had interviewed him in January 2017 where he was asked, "What makes you happy?"
Reinking replied, "True love. Just because it's the best thing that can happen in life."
Police records show Reinking contacted law enforcement in Salida falsely claiming that Grammy Award-winning singer Taylor Swift was stalking him.
Police reports indicate that he said he was in love with Swift. One person told police that Reinking claimed he bought a $14,000 ring for Swift and had driven to California to try to meet her.
Reinking left Colorado in March or April of 2017. Several people indicated he appeared to have mental issues and described him as a loner.
Reinking was arrested near the White House last July. An acquaintance told CBS4 Reinking supported Donald Trump and wanted to talk to him.
At the time Reinking owned several weapons. Authorities confiscated the guns and gave to his father who then returned them to his son.
His father could face charges for returning his son's guns.
"When they looked into his backpack they found a semi automatic weapon with .45 caliber, a flashlight and a holster," said Nashville Police Lt. Carlos Lara.
Reinking, 29, has been accused of shooting six people over the weekend at a Nashville-area Waffle House early Sunday morning. Four people died.
The gunman was wearing only a jacket when he began shooting. A customer grabbed the AR-15 from Reinking when he paused to reload. Reinking ran away from the Waffle House and had been on the run until his arrest on Monday. Nashville police tweeted an update with a picture of Reinking and his arrest in a wooded area near Old Hickory Blvd. and Hobson Park.
