Look at this black man doing what black men do! Everything about the story of James Shaw Jr. is amazing to me. The brother was bold, quick thinking and took a risk to save himself and others from sudden danger. But, the fact that he’s a HBCU alum makes the story even sweeter! Shaw, according to The Tennessean, was at a frat house party with his friends in the area at 2:30 AM. They decided to leave the party and go to the Waffle House that was two miles away from the location at 3:20 AM. Five minutes later suspected shooter Travis Reinking open fire, killing four people and leaving four injured. Shaw was grazed by a bullet as he lunged towards the bathroom. Reinking is still on the run.
As the shooter was reloading his gun as he walked through the door, Shaw saw the opportunity to make a move on him. “When he came in, I distinctly remember thinking that he is going to have to work for this kill,” Shaw told The Tennessean. “I had a chance to stop him and thankfully I stopped him. I grabbed the gun and kept it down. He had one hand on it. I pulled it away and threw it over the bar.”
OMG! Tennessee State University alumnus James Shaw Jr—my former student! Just when I thought I couldn’t love you more. #BigBlue https://t.co/FXlP919DPU
— Dr. Crystal A. deGregory (@HBCUstorian) April 22, 2018
After Shaw disarmed the shooter, the shooter left out of the Waffle House and walked away. Shaw was hesitant to follow him in the case that he had another gun. Shaw was taken to the hospital at about 4 a.m. and released at 7:30 a.m.
Shaw said, “While I was in hospital, a girl that was there said you saved my life,” he said. “I didn’t do it to be hero.”
Shaw didn’t intend to be a hero but he definitely is. Big shout out to him for springing into action to prevent more lives from being lost due to the sick actions of this shooter. And, I want to say that James Shaw Jr. should get free Waffle House for life!
