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 4 people in 2018 at a Waffle Home in Tennessee

ByThe Associated Press

19 Might 2022, 17:42

• 3 min read

PEKIN, In poor health. -- 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 final week of unlawful supply of a firearm to an individual who had been treated for psychological sickness inside 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 May 13 bench trial, Tazewell County prosecutors argued that the rural Morton, Illinois, man knew his son, Travis Reinking, had undergone mental health treatment in 2016.

In Could 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.

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

But Jeffrey Reinking’s legal professional, Kevin Sullivan, argued at trial that his client didn’t know his son had been treated for psychological well being issues on the hospital. Sullivan said he knew his son was delivered to the hospital however didn’t know why, and was not responsible of the cost.

As a result of the youthful Reinking had his firearm proprietor’s identification card revoked by Illinois State Police, he couldn't legally have guns inside the state. Travis Reinking surrendered his weapons to his father, who later returned them to him in some unspecified time in the future before the deadly shooting at a Waffle House in Nashville, prosecutors mentioned.

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 jail without the potential of parole after being convicted of 4 counts of first-degree murder and different prices. He opened fireplace 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 confirmed he had schizophrenia and suffered delusions for years, believing unknown individuals have been tormenting him. He contacted legislation 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 House grounds and demanded to satisfy with then-President Donald Trump.