The mother of Nashville, Tennessee Waffle House mass shooting victim, Akilah DaSilva, filed a $100 million wrongful death lawsuit on Wednesday against the alleged gunman, Travis Reinking, and his father, Jeffrey Reinking.
Legal documents filed by Shaundelle Brooks and obtained by HuffPost, state Travis Reinking used an AR-15-style rifle during the April 22 attack that left four people dead and four others injured. Brooks accuses both men of “unconscionable conduct” for Jeffrey’s decision to give his son a firearm despite knowing law enforcement revoked Travis’ rights to legally possess a gun after his numerous run-ins with officials.
“Let this lawsuit serve as a stark warning,” Brooks’ attorney Daniel Horwitz said in a statement to HuffPost. “If you entrust someone that you know to be both dangerous and mentally unstable with one [of] the most efficient purveyors of death in modern society, you will be held personally accountable for the consequences.”
DaSilva was a local musician, who performed under the moniker, Natrix. Brooks added in a statement to HuffPost that she wants to honor the late 23-year-old’s legacy by preventing future mass shooting attacks from happening.
“The purpose of this lawsuit is to honor my son’s beloved memory, hold those responsible for his death fully accountable, and help ensure that nobody else’s family ever has to experience the sorrow and horror that we have,” she said.
