Illinois man convicted of giving son rifle he used to kill 4

An Illinois man faces up to three years in jail after being convicted of illegally giving his son an assault-style rifle he later used to shoot and kill four folks in 2018 at a Waffle Home in Tennessee

ByThe Associated Press

19 Could 2022, 17:42

• 3 min read

PEKIN, In poor health. -- An Illinois man faces up to three years in jail after being convicted of illegally giving his son an assault-style rifle he later used to shoot and kill four individuals in 2018 at a Waffle Home in Tennessee.

A choose convicted Jeffrey Reinking final week of illegal delivery of a firearm to a person who had been handled for mental illness inside the previous five years, the ( Peoria) Journal Star reported. He stays free on bond pending his sentencing, which is ready for June 17.

Throughout Reinking's Could 13 bench trial, Tazewell County prosecutors argued that the agricultural Morton, Illinois, man knew his son, Travis Reinking, had undergone mental health remedy in 2016.

In May 2016, police and hearth personnel responded to a pharmacy parking zone in Morton the place Travis Reinking instructed officers he believed singer Taylor Swift was stalking him and had hacked into his cellphone.

Experiences the Journal Star obtained in 2018 confirmed Travis Reinking was delivered to a Peoria hospital for an analysis after that incident and had agreed to go to the hospital.

But Jeffrey Reinking’s legal professional, Kevin Sullivan, argued at trial that his client didn’t know his son had been treated for mental health issues at the hospital. Sullivan mentioned he knew his son was delivered to the hospital but didn’t know why, and was not responsible of the charge.

Because the youthful Reinking had his firearm proprietor’s identification card revoked by Illinois State Police, he could not legally have weapons within the state. Travis Reinking surrendered his weapons to his father, who later returned them to him at some point earlier than the fatal capturing at a Waffle House in Nashville, prosecutors said.

The assault-style rifle he used in that assault, an AR-15, was one of the weapons his father had returned to him.

Travis Reinking was sentenced in February to life in jail without the opportunity of parole after being convicted of 4 counts of first-degree murder and other expenses. He opened fire contained in the restaurant on April 22, 2018, killing Taurean Sanderlin, 29; Joey Perez, 20; Akilah Dasilva, 23; and DeEbony Groves, 21.

Evidence at Travis Reinking's trial confirmed he had schizophrenia and suffered delusions for years, believing unknown folks were tormenting him. He contacted legislation enforcement a number of instances to report that he was being threatened, stalked and harassed.

In July 2017, he was detained by the Secret Service after he ventured unarmed into a restricted area on the White Home grounds and demanded to satisfy with then-President Donald Trump.