Waffle House shooting suspect believed he was being stalked and harassed by Taylor Swift
The 29-year-old man suspected of killing four people at a Waffle House in Nashville this weekend before fleeing the scene believed Taylor Swift was stalking him and had hacked his phone and Netflix account, CNN reports. Travis Reinking's parents called the police in May 2016, with the responding officer writing that "Travis stated he did not want to hurt Taylor Swift or anyone else, he only wanted the harassment to stop." A paramedic described Reinking's behavior as "delusional."
Last July, Reinking was arrested by the U.S. Secret Service due to trespassing in a restricted area near the White House and claiming he wanted to meet President Trump. His four guns were taken away by the police and given to Reinking's father, who has "acknowledged giving them back to his son," Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said. One of the seized weapons was used in the Waffle House shooting.
Reinking had a history of apparent paranoia. At one point he claimed that people were "tapping into his computer and phone," and he said he felt like he was being baited into breaking the law. He is still being sought by the police.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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