NASHVILLE — One of the victims of the Nashville Waffle House shooting that killed four was a Central Texas native.

Joe R. Perez, age 20, grew up in the Hays County area. He attended Jack C. Hays High School in Buda, Hays County ISD confirms. Perez attended the school district from pre-K through 10th grade. 

He was at the restaurant at the time of the shooting and was killed outside.

Trisha Perez, Joe's mother, posted the following on Facebook:

Early Sunday, a nearly naked gunman wearing only a green jacket and brandishing a rifle stormed a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville early Sunday, shooting four people to death before a customer rushed him and wrestled the weapon away.

Authorities were searching for the 29-year-old suspect, Travis Reinking, who they said drove to the busy restaurant and killed two people in the parking lot before entering and continuing to fire. When his AR-15 rifle either jammed or the clip was empty, the customer disarmed him in a scuffle.

In addition to Perez, three others were wounded/killed:

  • Akilah DaSilva, 23, was critically wounded inside the restaurant and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
  • DeEbony Groves, 21, was inside the restaurant and was fatally shot
  • Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29, was a restaurant employee and was killed outside

This is a developing story. Spectrum News has reached out to the Perez family.