Waffle House shooting: In 911 call, Travis Reinking claimed Taylor Swift was stalking him

In a 911 call made in Colorado last year, Travis Reinking — the suspect in Sunday's Waffle House shooting that claimed four lives — tells the emergency dispatcher he fears Taylor Swift is stalking him and others are involved in hacking his computers.

"I have somebody stalking me around town and I do not appreciate it I want it to stop," Travis told the 911 operator on March 18, 2017. Reinking was living in Salida, Co., at the time and working as a crane operator.

"And no one seems to take me seriously when I say that.

"They're stalking me, like, in person everywhere I go, and I'm pretty sure the police here are involved in it," he said. "And, like, I want it to stop. It's stupid. No one has the right to do that to me.

► More: Police search Travis Reinking's electronics amid investigation into Waffle House shooting

When the operator asked Reinking how he was being stalked, Reinking's voice became audibly upset and he appeared confused.

"They getting, like, on my, they're doing some kind of like ... I don't know. I don't know exactly how they're doing it, but somehow they're, like, getting on my Facebook. They're getting on my YouTube. They're getting on my Netflix. And they're changing the videos that I see as they pop up.

"And then, like, after I go watch the stuff, I go out somewhere in real life and then there'll be internet WiFi hotpots that say the same things on them."

Reinking, 29, has been charged with four counts of criminal homicide, four counts of attempted homicide and one count of having a firearm while committing a dangerous felony. He remains in a Nashville jail without bond.

Police say he opened fire at an Antioch Waffle House shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday killing three men and one woman, and injuring others. All of the victims are in their early 20s.

► More: Waffle House shooting suspect left trail of bizarre behaviors in Colorado

Reinking has experienced delusions about Taylor Swift and others stalking him since 2014, his family told Illinois police.

He had a string of encounters with local law enforcement in his home town of Morton, Ill. in 2016 and 2017.

► 'Now it's close to home': Waffle House shooting leaves suspect's Illinois hometown asking why

Police reports document instances in which Reinking was suicidal and delusional.

Reinking was also arrested in July 2017 by the U.S. Secret Service for venturing into a restricted area outside the White House and demanding to speak to the president.

Illinois police in August 2017 removed four guns from his possession, including the AR-15 rifle police say he used in the Waffle House shooting, and gave them to Reinking's father for protection.

Jeff Reinking, Reinking's father, has admitted he returned the guns to his son, but it is unknown when that occurred, the authorities have said.

After Reinking placed the 911 call in Salida, Co., a police officer went to his home. Records show the officer spent 20 minutes with Reinking then the incident was closed.

Reinking is believed to have moved to Nashville in the fall 2017.

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Full transcript of 911 call

Operator: 911 Emergency.

Reinking: Yeah, um, I need to report something and every time I go to the sheriff's office it's closed.

Operator: OK, what do you need to report?

Reinking: I have somebody stalking me around town and I do not appreciate it I want it to stop. And no one seems to take me seriously when I say that.

Operator: OK and who is it that's stalking you.

Reinking: Taylor Swift

Operator: OK, and what is your name?

Reinking: Travis Reinking

Operator: And where are you at right now?

Reinking: I'm at my home

(gives address and phone number)

Operator: Is this person a male or female that's stalking you?

Reinking: Female

Operator: And what is she doing that you say she's stalking you?

Reinking: Yeah, I mean, everywhere I go, like, they're stalking on the internet. They're stalking me, like, in person everywhere I go, and I'm pretty sure the police here are involved in it. And, like, I want it to stop. It's stupid. No one has the right to do that to me.

Operator: What exactly are they doing?

Reinking: They getting, like, on my, they're doing some kind of like ... I don't know. I don't know exactly how they're doing it, but somehow they're, like, getting on my Facebook. They're getting on my YouTube. They're getting on my Netflix. And they're changing the videos that I see as they pop up.

And then, like, after I go watch the stuff, I go out somewhere in real life and then there'll be internet WiFi hotpots that say the same things on them.

Operator: OK, I'll have an officer come meet you at your house then

Reinking: OK. Yeah, thank you. Bye.

Reach Anita Wadhwani at awadhwani@tennessean.com, 615-259-8092 or on Twitter @AnitaWadhwani.