Travis Jeffrey Reinking

Travis Jeffrey Reinking was born on February 1, 1989, in Morton, Illinois. He worked as a construction laborer and crane operator in his hometown before moving to Tennessee in 2017. Reinking had a long history of severe mental illness, specifically diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia. His behavior before the attack raised multiple concerns, including delusions, public indecency, and escalating paranoia.

Beginning in 2016, local authorities in Tazewell County, Illinois, responded to multiple incidents involving Reinking. In one case, he claimed pop singer Taylor Swift was stalking him, hacking into his financial accounts, and surveilling him electronically. Law enforcement noted his hostility toward police and his possession of several firearms.

In 2017, Reinking was arrested by the U.S. Secret Service near the White House after breaching a security barrier and refusing to leave. He told agents that he was a “sovereign citizen” and wanted to set up a meeting with the President. The arrest resulted in a deferred prosecution agreement after Reinking completed community service and agreed to stay away from the White House.

After this incident, Illinois officials revoked Reinking’s state firearms authorization and seized his weapons. However, his father, who still held a valid authorization card, requested to keep the firearms, assuring deputies he would prevent his son from accessing them. The firearms—including the AR‑15 later used in the Waffle House shooting—were later returned by Reinking’s father against those assurances.

In late 2017, Reinking relocated to the Nashville area and secured employment as a crane operator. By April 2018, he had been terminated from his job after displaying signs of extreme paranoia and claiming people were targeting him. Days before the shooting, he had stolen a BMW SUV from a dealership, which was later traced to his residence.

In the early morning of April 22, 2018, Travis Reinking arrived at a Waffle House restaurant located in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee. Dressed only in a green jacket and otherwise nude, he remained in his vehicle for several minutes before exiting with an AR‑15 style semi‑automatic rifle.

At approximately 3:20 a.m., Reinking began shooting outside the restaurant, fatally striking two individuals. He then entered the establishment and opened fire again, killing a third person and mortally wounding a fourth, who later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Two additional victims were shot and injured, while another two sustained injuries from shattered glass during the chaos.

The attack was halted by James Shaw Jr., a 29-year-old customer who had taken cover near the restrooms. Observing Reinking momentarily lower his weapon—either due to reloading or a jam—Shaw rushed the shooter, grabbed the hot barrel of the rifle, and disarmed him. During the struggle, Shaw suffered a bullet graze to the elbow and burns from the weapon. After being disarmed, Reinking fled the scene on foot, abandoning his jacket, which contained additional loaded ammunition.

Police later stated that Reinking had been acting on the delusional belief that the restaurant's patrons were agents of the Central Intelligence Agency. In total, he fired 30 rounds—15 outside and 15 inside the building—and was carrying another 60 rounds in his coat.

A 34-hour manhunt followed the shooting. Authorities warned the public that Reinking was possibly armed and dangerous. He was added to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Most Wanted list, and a reward was offered for information leading to his arrest.

On April 23, 2018, Reinking was found by a construction worker who spotted him entering a wooded area not far from the Waffle House. Police apprehended him carrying a backpack that contained a loaded .45‑caliber Kimber 1911 handgun and additional ammunition.

Reinking was charged with four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder, and one count of firearm possession during a dangerous felony. In August 2018, he was ruled incompetent to stand trial due to his schizophrenia and was committed to a mental health facility. After undergoing treatment, he was deemed competent in October 2018.

During a court appearance in January 2020, prosecutors announced that they would not pursue the death penalty. Instead, Reinking faced a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

Jury selection for the trial began on January 25, 2022, with opening statements heard on January 31. The defense entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, which was ultimately rejected. On February 4, 2022, Reinking was convicted on all counts, including four counts of first-degree premeditated murder. He was sentenced the following day to life in prison without parole and is currently incarcerated at the Morgan County Correctional Complex in Tennessee.

Reinking’s father, Jeffrey Reinking, was later charged with unlawful delivery of a firearm for returning weapons to his son in violation of the earlier agreement. He was convicted in May 2022 and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

The shooting led to an outpouring of public grief and renewed national discussions surrounding mental illness, access to firearms, and public safety. Tennessee officials, including Governor Bill Haslam and Nashville Mayor David Briley, issued statements mourning the lives lost.

James Shaw Jr., whose actions ended the shooting, was widely praised for his bravery. Though he declined the label of hero, Shaw was honored at the state and national level. He raised over $200,000 for victims’ families and was later recognized with awards and honors, including:

• BET Humanitarian Award (2018)
• Gold Vail Award from AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson
• Tennessee State University Scholarship in his name
• Tribute from actor Chadwick Boseman at the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards

Civil lawsuits were filed by families of two victims against Reinking and his family.