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

An Illinois man faces as much as three years in prison 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 May 2022, 17:42

• 3 min learn

PEKIN, Unwell. -- An Illinois man faces as much as three years in prison 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 House in Tennessee.

A choose convicted Jeffrey Reinking final week of unlawful supply of a firearm to a person who had been treated for psychological illness inside the previous 5 years, the ( Peoria) Journal Star reported. He stays free on bond pending his sentencing, which is set for June 17.

During 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 treatment in 2016.

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

Reports 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 shopper didn’t know his son had been treated for psychological well being issues at the hospital. Sullivan said he knew his son was delivered to the hospital but didn’t know why, and was not guilty of the cost.

As a result of the younger Reinking had his firearm proprietor’s identification card revoked by Illinois State Police, he couldn't legally have guns throughout the state. Travis Reinking surrendered his guns to his father, who later returned them to him at some point before the fatal shooting at a Waffle House in Nashville, prosecutors stated.

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

Travis Reinking was sentenced in February to life in prison with out the possibility of parole after being convicted of 4 counts of first-degree murder and other prices. He opened fire 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 showed he had schizophrenia and suffered delusions for years, believing unknown individuals have been tormenting him. He contacted law enforcement several occasions 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 area on the White Home grounds and demanded to meet with then-President Donald Trump.