The father of the accused Waffle House mass shooter has been named as a defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit. The lawsuit was filed by one of the victim’s families, WKRN reports.
News 2 reported it had court documents showing Jeffrey Reinking is facing a civil lawsuit filed by the family of victim Joe Perez.
Travis Reinking is accused of killing four people and injuring four more at the Antioch Waffle House on April 22.
The lawsuit claims Jeffery Reinking’s alleged negligent conduct caused Perez’s death, WSMV reports. Jeffrey Reinking is accused of returning his son’s weapons to him after they had been confiscated. One of the weapons is the gun police say was used in the shooting.
The Perez family accused Jeffrey Reinking of “negligent entrustment,” Law & Crime reported, citing a story by the Pekin Daily Times. The family will argue that because Reinking failed to keep the weapons away from his son when he had reason to believe harm could happen he is liable for the death of Perez.
Travis Reinking was known to the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Department in Illinois, allegedly having had delusions involving Taylor Swift, WKRN said. He allegedly showed up at a construction site with an AR-15, causing the sheriff’s department to advise members of the family to take away the guns and lock them up. In July 2017, the U.S. Secret Service arrested Reinking outside the White House grounds.
The lawsuit asks for a judgment against Jeffrey Reinking for more than $50,000, plus court costs and a jury trial, WKRN said.
