Police report: Waffle House shooting suspect frightened woman at motel

ALCOA, Tenn. (WATE) — A Knoxville woman had a run-in with accused Antioch Waffle House shooter Travis Reinking earlier this year at a motel in Alcoa, according to a police report.

The report states on February 23, Samantha Veals called police about a man at Alcoa Inn who had verbally assaulted her. When police arrived at the motel, Veals said she was trying to put her two sons to sleep when she heard a noise and discovered a man was loudly yelling outside her room.

Veals told police she asked the man to be quiet, but he said, “I can be as loud as I want!” and charged at Veals.

Veals said she ran into the room where her sons were while the man, who police later identified as Reinking, walked about five feet into the room and balled up a fist as if he were going to hit Veals. She said she let out a small scream to which he laughed and walked back outside. Her sons also made comments about the “bad man” who came in the room.

Police later caught up with Reinking, who said he was in town for construction work and must be awake by 4 a.m. every morning. He said several people were up through the night yelling and causing disturbances in the breezeway which kept him up. He said he had “had enough” and wanted “to show them what it’s like.”

Reinking admitted to yelling at Veals, but said he didn’t come into her room or threaten her. He said he was in the process of getting a refund for his room so he could stay elsewhere.

Reinking is charged with four counts of criminal homicide after police say he showed up without pants at a Waffle House restaurant near Nashville and killed four people with an assault-style rifle.. He’s been jailed without bond.