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4 Killed At Tennessee Waffle House As Police Search For Seminude Suspect

ANTIOCH, Tenn.  (CNN) — Four people are dead and four others are injured after a shooting at a Waffle House in Antioch early Sunday (April 22) morning. Po...
Waffle House Shooting

ANTIOCH, Tenn.  (CNN) — Four people are dead and four others are injured after a shooting at a Waffle House in Antioch early Sunday (April 22) morning.

Police are still looking for the suspect, identified as 29-year old Travis Reinking of Treemont, Ill. He was last seen walking south down Murfreesboro Pike with black pants and no shirt.

According to police at the scene, a white man, who officials believe to be Reinking, drove into the Waffle House parking lot in a pickup truck just after 3 a.m. naked except for a green jacket. He shot at customers and employees in the parking lot and inside the restaurant.

Police say he shot two people outside the restaurant, who both died, and then entered the restaurant and shot at least four more people. One of those people died on the scene and another died later at the hospital.

Witnesses described the gun the suspect used as an AR-15. Metro Police shared a photo of the gun after the incident.

Police say a 29-year-old man saved many lives when he saw the suspect wrestling with the gun and interfered with him, taking it from the suspect and tossing it behind the counter. Police representative Don Aaron says the hero’s actions were similar to that of Robert Engle during the Antioch church shooting last year.

After this, police say the gunman fled the restaurant, shedding his jacket on a nearby street corner. The jacket was recovered and officials say it contained ammunition.

He then went to Mountain View Apartments, a nearby complex where police think he lived, and put on clothes. A neighbor who knew the suspect spotted him wearing black pants and no shirt or shoes walking in a wooded area near the complex.

K-9s last caught his scent near the TVA lines off Murfreesboro Pike. Police believe the shooter is still at-large.

Police say people in the area should lock their doors and call 911 immediately if they see the suspect.

At this time, police believe the shooting was random. Officials say Reinking is known to both federal and state law enforcement in Illinois due to previous incidents. It is unknown why he is in Nashville and how long he has been here.

Three shooting victims were pronounced dead at the scene. One victim was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in critical condition where they later died. Two victims were transported to Vanderbilt. One is in critical condition. One is in critical but stable condition.

Two people, including the hero, were transported to Southern Hills Hospital and released.

After the shooting, Mayor David Briley released a statement, saying:

“It’s a tragic day for our city anytime people lose their lives at the hands of a gunman. My heart goes out to the families and friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this morning’s shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime.”

“There’s clearly more to be said about these circumstances, but for now I ask Nashville to pray for and rally around these victims and join me in thanking the Metro Nashville Police Department as it works to find and apprehend the shooter.”

Waffle House also tweeted a statement:

“This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family. We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.”

The shooting took place at approximately 3:30 a.m. at the Waffle House on 3571 Murfreesboro Pike near Pin Hook Road in Antioch.

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