Tennessee Waffle House Shooting: A Good Samaritan Helps Prevent Further Bloodshed
A Good Samaritan wrestled a weapon away from the alleged gunman in the process of shooting up the Tennessee Waffle House, possibly preventing more bloodshed, CNN is reporting.
The hero, whose name has not been released as of this writing, had been in the bathroom at the Nashville Waffle House where a gunman opened fire. The man fought with the gunman and managed to wrest control of his weapon, an AR-15.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, was the scene of a mass shooting this morning. At 3:25 a.m. local time, a gunman entered the restaurant and allegedly opened fire.
According to Metro Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron, via WTVF (Nashville), the suspect allegedly opened fire, killing two people before entering the restaurant. He then entered the restaurant and continued firing, killing another person and injuring five more. Reports are coming in quickly, and multiple news outlets may be reporting conflicting or outdated information. As some of the victims are listed as being in critical condition, the death toll is not certain at this moment.
Update: Police now say four are dead following the shooting at a Waffle House in Tennessee. The gunman, who is still on the run, fled the scene nude. https://t.co/BMcK9sTv08
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At some point during the shooting spree, the alleged shooter stopped to reload his weapon. It was during those few seconds that the Good Samaritan was able to wrest control of the weapon away from the shooter. He then tossed it away from the shooter’s reach. What happened next remains unclear.
According to USA Today, the Good Samaritan is a 29-year-old man. He suffered abrasions and other minor injuries in the scuffle, but is otherwise OK. As a precaution, he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was treated and released.
Meanwhile, the manhunt continues for the alleged shooter, identified by police as Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, Illinois. Police say that he was naked except for a green jacket when he entered the restaurant. He is since believed to have put on black pants. Police are asking people in the area to be on the lookout for a man wearing black pants.
The suspect is known to Illinois and federal authorities because of “previous incidents,” according to WTVF, although the nature of those incidents remains unclear as of this writing.
