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 4 individuals in 2018 at a Waffle Home in Tennessee

ByThe Associated Press

19 Might 2022, 17:42

• 3 min read

PEKIN, Ailing. -- 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 individuals in 2018 at a Waffle House in Tennessee.

A judge convicted Jeffrey Reinking last week of illegal delivery of a firearm to an individual who had been handled for psychological sickness inside the past five 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 rural Morton, Illinois, man knew his son, Travis Reinking, had undergone mental well being therapy in 2016.

In Might 2016, police and fire personnel responded to a pharmacy parking lot in Morton where Travis Reinking advised officers he believed singer Taylor Swift was stalking him and had hacked into his cellphone.

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

But Jeffrey Reinking’s attorney, Kevin Sullivan, argued at trial that his shopper didn’t know his son had been treated for mental health issues on the hospital. Sullivan stated he knew his son was dropped at the hospital but didn’t know why, and was not responsible of the cost.

As a result of the younger Reinking had his firearm owner’s identification card revoked by Illinois State Police, he could not legally have weapons throughout the state. Travis Reinking surrendered his guns to his father, who later returned them to him in some unspecified time in the future earlier than the deadly shooting at a Waffle Home in Nashville, prosecutors stated.

The assault-style rifle he utilized 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 prison with out the potential of parole after being convicted of 4 counts of first-degree murder and other prices. He opened hearth 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 showed he had schizophrenia and suffered delusions for years, believing unknown folks were tormenting him. He contacted law 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 House grounds and demanded to satisfy with then-President Donald Trump.