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 people in 2018 at a Waffle Home in Tennessee

ByThe Related Press

19 May 2022, 17:42

• 3 min read

PEKIN, In poor health. -- An Illinois man faces up to three years in prison after being convicted of illegally giving his son an assault-style rifle he later used to shoot and kill 4 folks in 2018 at a Waffle House in Tennessee.

A choose convicted Jeffrey Reinking last week of illegal supply of a firearm to an individual who had been treated for psychological illness within the past five years, the ( Peoria) Journal Star reported. He remains free on bond pending his sentencing, which is set for June 17.

Throughout Reinking's Might 13 bench trial, Tazewell County prosecutors argued that the agricultural Morton, Illinois, man knew his son, Travis Reinking, had undergone psychological well being therapy in 2016.

In Could 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.

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

But Jeffrey Reinking’s lawyer, Kevin Sullivan, argued at trial that his client didn’t know his son had been treated for mental well being points at the hospital. Sullivan stated he knew his son was dropped at the hospital however didn’t know why, and was not guilty of the cost.

Because the younger Reinking had his firearm proprietor’s identification card revoked by Illinois State Police, he couldn't legally have weapons throughout the state. Travis Reinking surrendered his weapons to his father, who later returned them to him sooner or later before the fatal taking pictures at a Waffle Home in Nashville, prosecutors stated.

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

Travis Reinking was sentenced in February to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted of four counts of first-degree murder and different fees. He opened fireplace inside 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 individuals were tormenting him. He contacted regulation 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 right into a restricted space on the White House grounds and demanded to fulfill with then-President Donald Trump.