Family of Waffle House shooting victim sues alleged gunman’s father

The family of one of the people killed last month in a shooting at a Nashville-area Waffle House is suing the alleged gunman’s father.

The family of Joe Perez filed the lawsuit in Illinois on Monday, according to the Tennesseean, accusing Jeffrey Reinking of partial responsibility for the attack because he gave his son, Travis Reinking, several weapons after authorities had taken them away.

Travis Reinking, 29, has been charged with four counts of criminal homicide related to the shooting. The lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $50,000.

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Travis Reinking was arrested by the Secret Service last year for being in a restricted area near the White House. After that arrest, his Illinois firearm authorization was revoked at the request of the FBI, and his weapons were seized by authorities.

The Tennessean reports that authorities revoked his firearm authorization because he had established residency in another state, not because of the arrest.

The weapons were handed over to Jeffrey Reinking, who said he later returned them to his son, including the AR-15 rifle allegedly used in the shooting.

Tennessee authorities say that it did not appear Travis Reinking violated any state laws by owning the weapons, according to the paper.

Four people were killed in the April shooting before 29-year-old James Shaw Jr., a man now hailed as the “Waffle House hero,” wrestled the AR-15 from the gunman’s hands, forcing him to flee the scene.