The Nashville Waffle House murderer has just been
caught, but people are still searching for answers as to how 28-year-old Travis Reinking — who had previously been arrested by the Secret Service — got his hands on an AR-15 and massacred four people.
According to records, it was a crucial dangerous loophole in Illinois law that allowed this latest American mass shooting to occur.
After his arrest, he was visited by Illinois law enforcement and his four guns were seized.
But instead of being destroyed the guns were immediately handed over to his father who "was advised that he needed to keep the weapons secure and away from Travis." Mr. Reinking senior complied, but at some point, he returned the firearms to his son — knowing full well that his son had lost his right to own firearms.
Under Illinois law, this is perfectly legal. The state's Firearm Owners Identification card (FOID) Act says a person whose FOID has been revoked can transfer their weapons to anyone with FOID privileges. When Travis' FOID was revoked, he transferred them directly to his father. So instead of these guns being destroyed, they were returned to the Reinking home, within inches of the killer.
One of those very guns was used in yesterday's shooting.
These guns should have been taken off the street and destroyed -- they most certainly shouldn't have been given to the father of a man who clearly had issues and the means to do great harm to others.
Illinois needs to pass a law that bans these types of gun transfers. Guns seized from criminals should be destroyed, not given a second chance at causing violence. Please sign the petition and let's make sure we stop another tragedy like the one that occurred yesterday in Tennessee.
Photo credit: Metro Nashville PD