Waffle House reopens with profits going to victims' families over the next month

The Antioch Waffle House, site of a mass shooting this week that left four people dead and several others injured, reopened Wednesday morning after being closed for nearly four days.

Prior to returning to work at the business on Murfreesboro Pike, employees wearing small orange ribbons payed their respects at a memorial outside comprised of four white crosses that pay tribute to the shooting's four fatal victims: Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29; Joe R. Perez, 20; Deebony Groves, 21; and Akilah Dasilva, 23.

Jeff Camp, the area's vice president for the Waffle House, said the company is also planning a permanent memorial outside the building.

After servers, cooks and other staff members raised the blinds and unlocked the doors at 9 a.m., several of them hugged one another.

"I've been here all morning praying with them," said Rejoice Free Will Baptist Pastor Eric Puschmann, the business’ first customer of the day. He ordered two eggs (sunny side up), hash browns (smothered and chunked) and a cup of coffee (black). "These people need support."

Antioch resident Shatika Goosh popped into the store about 9:15 a.m. when she learned it was open.

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"My daughter and I come here all the time," the 42-year-old woman said. "This is our Waffle House and we could have been here that day. I wanted to make sure they (the staff) were doing OK."

Pat Warner, the company's director of external affairs, said the employees who reported to work included those who work at that location as well as other team members who traveled to Nashville from Atlanta to help.

"Our associates are here (and) they are wanting to get back to work," said Warner. "It's part of the healing process for them to open back up. To do our part, for the first 30 days 100 percent of the sales from this restaurant will go to the victims' families, both of those (who are) deceased and (those who are) in the hospital."

"We've been focused on the families...We appreciate everyone's support."

Counselors were on hand Monday, Warner said, and said associates who worked the night of the fatal shooting were given the opportunity to return to work.

Those who did not are receiving financial help from the company, he added.

"It's really on their time table," Warner said. "We're just there for them and when they're ready we'll be glad to have them back."

Travis Reinking, 29, is accused of killing four people and injuring several others in the Sunday early morning shooting which set a city on edge and drew international media attention.

Reinking was apprehended at 1:07 p.m. Monday after a 34-hour manhunt. He has been charged with four counts of criminal homicide, four counts of attempted murder and one count of possessing a weapon in the commission of a violent felony.

One of the attempted homicide charges is against James Shaw Jr., who was heralded as a hero after he charged the gunman in the middle of the shooting.

On Wednesday, Reinking remained in custody without bail.

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.

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