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 4 folks in 2018 at a Waffle House in Tennessee

ByThe Associated Press

19 Could 2022, 17:42

• 3 min read

PEKIN, Unwell. -- 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 folks in 2018 at a Waffle House in Tennessee.

A choose convicted Jeffrey Reinking last week of illegal supply of a firearm to an individual who had been treated for psychological sickness inside the previous 5 years, the ( Peoria) Journal Star reported. He stays free on bond pending his sentencing, which is ready 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 May 2016, police and fireplace personnel responded to a pharmacy car parking zone in Morton the place Travis Reinking advised officers he believed singer Taylor Swift was stalking him and had hacked into his cellphone.

Stories 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 shopper didn’t know his son had been handled for mental well being issues on the hospital. Sullivan mentioned he knew his son was delivered to the hospital however didn’t know why, and was not responsible 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 throughout the state. Travis Reinking surrendered his guns to his father, who later returned them to him in some unspecified time in the future before the deadly taking pictures at a Waffle House in Nashville, prosecutors stated.

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

Travis Reinking was sentenced in February to life in prison with out the opportunity of parole after being convicted of 4 counts of first-degree murder and other charges. 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 confirmed he had schizophrenia and suffered delusions for years, believing unknown people have been tormenting him. He contacted law enforcement several times 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 Home grounds and demanded to satisfy with then-President Donald Trump.