Waffle House Shooting Suspect Captured

(CBS NEWS) Nashville Police say they’ve captured the man suspected of killing four people at a Waffle House restaurant near Nashville early Sunday morning. The gunman was wearing nothing but a jacket when he opened fire with a semi- automatic rifle. Police say the suspect has been in trouble with the law before. 

29-year-old, Travis Reinking was taken into custody following an intense manhunt in the woods near his apartment in Nashville.

"The suspect turned around saw the face Detective Williams drew down the suspect proned himself out, he said get on the ground, he got on the ground immediately." says Lt. Carlos Lara, the Metro Nashville Police Spokesperson. 

Authorities say Reinking had a backpack on when they captured him.

"When they looked in the backpack they saw a silver Kimber semiautomatic weapon with 45-caliber ammunition, a flashlight and a holster." adds Lt. Lara.

Police say he had no pants on when he opened fire at a nearby Waffle House early Sunday. Two people were killed in the parking lot and two inside the restaurant. One of the victims was Akilah Dasilva. 

"He looked up to me, but I looked up to him because he was real smart. He was a real good guy." says Abede Dasilva, the victim’s brother. 

Police say Reinking showed signs of significant instability. In July, the secret service arrested him for entering a restricted area near the White House. During that arrest police seized four weapons including the gun used in the Waffle House shooting. The firearms were returned to Reinking’s father who admitted giving them back to his son. 

Then last week, police say he stole a BMW from a local dealership.

Police found the car hours after it was stolen near Reinking’s apartment, but they did not connect the theft to him until after the Waffle House shooting, when they found the car keys in his apartment.