Reporter starts GoFundMe for man who pried gun away from Waffle House shooter

Reporter Yashar Ali is raising money for the man who pried the gun away from a shooter at a Waffle House.

James Shaw Jr. wrestled the weapon away from the gunman during a mass shooting on Sunday in the Nashville restaurant. On Monday, Shaw started a GoFundMe account raising money for the families of the shooting victims.

Ali started a GoFundMe for Shaw Monday night and said on the fundraising page that he normally doesn’t get directly involved in these kinds of situations, but that Shaw’s “grace has inspired me to start this page to give him the support I feel he deserves.”

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“James Shaw Jr. put his life on the line when he took on the gunman who killed four people at a Nashville area Waffle House. Since that horrific shooting, he has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the victims and shown a level of humility that has inspired many of us,” Ali wrote.

Ali said that the money will be given directly to James and that the funds could be used for his daughter’s education.

“But I’d be just as happy if James used some of this money to take his family on a nice vacation,” he added.

More than $61,000 had been given to the GoFundMe as of Tuesday afternoon, more than the goal of $60,000.

Shaw has been hailed as a hero after fighting back against the shooter. His GoFundMe for the victims’ families had raised more than $98,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.

Shaw suffered a gunshot wound and burns from grabbing the assault-style rifle from the gunman. Four people were killed and at least three others were injured in the shooting.

“I’m not a hero. I’m just a regular person, and I think anybody could have did what I did if they are just pushed into that kind of cage,” Shaw said at a news conference.

Police on Monday took the suspected gunman, Travis Reinking, into custody after a manhunt that lasted more than 24 hours.