The hero of the Waffle House shooting outside Nashville, Tennessee has raised more than $134,000 for the families of the victims.
James Shaw Jr., a 29-year-old Nashville resident, made headlines Sunday by tackling the suspected shooter, Travis Reinking, at a Waffle House in Tennessee. Shaw, who sustained a gunshot wound and burns, tackled the alleged shooter and wrestled an AR-15 out of his hands, likely preventing further deaths.
The shooter killed four people and wounded at least three others before fleeing the scene of the crime. He was later captured outside of his apartment complex on Monday afternoon.
Shaw's act of bravery was not the end of his heroic acts. After the shooting, Shaw started a GoFundMe page for the families of the victims. The fundraiser generated more than $134,000 in less than two days, well exceeding its original goal of $15,000.
Shaw's courage in the face of danger and his actions after the shooting have inspired others. Yashar Ali, a reporter, announced on Twitter Monday that he started a GoFundMe page of his own to raise funds for Shaw.
On the page, Ali wrote that he was inspired by Shaw's "humility" and wanted to give something back to the hero.
"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," Ali wrote. "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."
"I normally don't get involved directly in these matters, but James' grace has inspired me to start this page to give him the support I feel he deserves," he added.
Ali wrote that he hopes the money will go to supporting the education of Shaw's daughter, but he added that he would be comfortable if Shaw spends the money in other ways.
"According to news reports, James has a four-year-old daughter. Perhaps this money can be used for her college fund or some other education-related expense," he wrote. "But I'd be just as happy if James used some of this money to take his family on a nice vacation."
Ali's fundraiser met its goal of $125,000 on Wednesday morning.