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

An Illinois man faces as much as three years in jail 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 House in Tennessee

ByThe Associated Press

19 May 2022, 17:42

• 3 min learn

PEKIN, Sick. -- 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 House in Tennessee.

A choose convicted Jeffrey Reinking last week of illegal supply of a firearm to a person who had been handled for mental illness throughout the previous five years, the ( Peoria) Journal Star reported. He remains free on bond pending his sentencing, which is set for June 17.

Throughout Reinking's Could 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 May 2016, police and hearth personnel responded to a pharmacy parking zone in Morton the place Travis Reinking informed 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 delivered to a Peoria hospital for an analysis after that incident and had agreed to go to the hospital.

But Jeffrey Reinking’s lawyer, Kevin Sullivan, argued at trial that his consumer didn’t know his son had been handled for psychological well being issues on the hospital. Sullivan stated he knew his son was delivered to the hospital but didn’t know why, and was not guilty of the charge.

Because the youthful Reinking had his firearm owner’s identification card revoked by Illinois State Police, he couldn't legally have weapons within the state. Travis Reinking surrendered his guns to his father, who later returned them to him at some point earlier than the fatal taking pictures at a Waffle Home in Nashville, prosecutors said.

The assault-style rifle he utilized in that attack, 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 potential for parole after being convicted of 4 counts of first-degree murder and different costs. 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 Home grounds and demanded to satisfy with then-President Donald Trump.