Accused Waffle House Shooter Not Fit For Trial: Report

NASHVILLE, TN — Accused Waffle House shooter Travis Reinking is not fit to stand trial, The Tennessean reports. According to the paper, Reinking will be committed for treatment until he is deemed fit to stand trial.

Reinking, 29, a native of Morton, Illinois, is accused of opening fire at the restaurant near Nashville and killing four people in April. The victims in the shooting were identified as Taurean Sanderlin, 29, a Waffle House worker, and patrons Joe Perez, 20, DeEbony Groves, a 21-year-old Belmont University senior; and Akilah Dasilva, 23.

Metro Nashville Police said a Waffle House customer wrestled the rifle — which they described as "an assault-type rifle" — away from the gunman and threw it over a counter. Police said the shooter then took off his jacket and fled, naked, from the restaurant.

The customer, dubbed a hero by police and identified as James Shaw Jr., 29, suffered abrasions to his elbow.

Authorities have said Reinking's father, Jeff Reinking of Morton, returned several weapons — including the the AR-15 rifle used in the massacre — to his son after they were confiscated following an arrest last summer.

Local sheriff's deputies seized Travis Reinking's weapons but then turned them over to his father as is allowed by state law. Jeffrey Reinking then reportedly turned them back over to his son before he moved to Tennessee, a state with far laxer gun laws than Illinois.

SEE ALSO:

• Waffle House Shooting Suspect Had Guns Returned Before Tragedy
• Waffle House Suspect's Illinois Family Says They're 'Heartbroken'
• Could Someone Have Stopped Travis Reinking?
• Waffle House Survivor's Mom Does Something Amazing For Waitress
• Waffle House Shooting: $100M Lawsuit Against Accused Shooter, Dad
• Who Is Travis Reinking: 5 Things About Waffle House Suspect

Reinking was arrested last July for unlawful entry at the White House. A year before the White House incident, Reinking reportedly told police in Illinois he believed singer Taylor Swift was stalking him.

Shannon Antinori and J.R. Lind contributed reporting.

This report will be updated.

Photo via Metro Nashville Police