🚨HERO: On April 22, 2018, James Shaw Jr. walked into a Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee, expecting nothing more than breakfast. Minutes later, gunfire erupted inside the restaurant.
Four people had already been killed, and the gunman was still holding an AR-15-style rifle. Most people ran. Shaw made a split-second decision.
Unarmed, he charged the shooter, grabbed the rifle by its burning-hot barrel with his bare hands, and fought until he wrested the weapon away. His hands were severely burned, but he did not let go. The gunman fled. Shaw’s actions almost certainly prevented further loss of life.
The country called him a hero. Shaw refused the title. He said he was simply trying to survive and protect the people around him. Instead of seeking attention, he launched a fundraiser that raised more than $200,000 for the victims’ families. He continued speaking about healing and supporting communities affected by violence.
The headlines have long since faded. Many no longer remember the name. But courage like James Shaw Jr.’s should never be forgotten.