Photo: Metro Nashville Police Department
He also tried to break into the White House.
By Sarah Gangraw — Written on Apr 23, 2018
A man who opened fire at a Tennessee Waffle House, killing four people, believed Taylor Swift was stalking him and has a history of delusions.
The suspected shooter, Travis Reinking, walked into a Waffle House in Nashville and opened fire with an AR-15. The incident took place at around 3 a.m. Sunday.
However, he was known by police before this tragic shooting.
Reinking has had several run-ins with authorities starting in May of 2016, which have led police to believe he has mental health issues.
Tazewell County Sheriff Robert Huston released five police reports detailing Reinking’s previous encounters with law enforcement, including one incident where he breached the White House premises.
“I think anybody who reads the police reports here, would conclude there is certainly evidence of mental health issues involved,” Huston said.
Reinking was convinced pop singer Taylor Swift was hacking his phone, according to police reports in May 2016. He also believed she gained access to his Netflix account.
A sheriff’s report stated that Reinking “was delusional and believed the famous entertainer, Taylor Swift, was harassing him via stalking and harassing his phone.”
Authorities were called to a CVS parking lot after he made comments about killing himself over the ordeal, ABC 7 reports.
The now-29-year-old told police Taylor Swift agreed to meet him but never showed. Relatives said Reinking had “been having these delusions” about the “Bad Blood” singer since 2014.
"Travis believed everyone including his own family and the police are involved," an officer said in the report regarding the occurrence. "Travis stated he did not want to hurt Taylor Swift or anyone else, he only wanted the harassment to stop."
Reinking had also been caught for trespassing on White House property in July 2017.
"He wanted to set up a meeting with the president," said Secret Service representative Todd Hudson.
Hudson said Reinking had entered a restricted area and told authorities he was a “sovereign citizen” who had the "right to inspect the grounds," according to a Metropolitan Police Department incident report, CNN writes.
He was arrested and charged with unlawful entry but Reinking completed community service and the charge was later dismissed, arrest records state.
Police advised Reinking's father “to lock the guns back up until Travis gets mental help which he stated he would."
His father followed through and took Reinking’s three guns, but returned them to his son later on.
Just a month before the White House incident, Reinking threatened someone with an AR-15, The Tennessean reports.
In June 2017, he threatened somebody with the rifle while wearing a pink dress. He then dove into a nearby pool and exposed himself, records state.
No one present decided to press charges against Reinking.
"This is an informational report showing the state of mind of Travis Reinking," an officer wrote in a report about the situation at the pool.
In August, Reinking told police he heard people outside of his home barking like dogs. People were “tapping into his phone” and “baiting him into breaking the law,” according to CNN.
The FBI performed an “assessment” of Reinking, which concluded last October, The Tennessean writes.
The motive for the Waffle House shooting has not been determined, but Reinking’s recent loss of a job may be linked to the tragic morning.
He was fired from his construction job three weeks ago, CNN reports.
After Reinking shot up the Waffle House, he fled on foot. The FBI posted the alleged shooter on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's Ten Most Wanted List before he was found and arrested.