A U.S. congressman is calling for restricting access to some assault weapons in the wake of a shooting at a restaurant in Tennessee on Sunday that left four people dead.
Rep. Jim Cooper issued a statement Sunday, calling for restricting “widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons.”
Cooper’s statement came in the wake of a shooting at a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville. In addition to the four deaths, at least two people were injured.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said via Twitter that authorities are searching for 29-year-old Travis Reinking in connection with the shooting. Authorities had characterized the weapon used in the shooting as an “assault-type” rifle.
“There is a hero. I don’t know what his name is, but there’s a gentleman who was in there who when this guy stopped to reload or stop to do something with his gun he took that opportunity and wrestled with this guy until the gun went flying and then the dude took off running. So I don’t know who this guy is. I talked to him afterwards and told him ‘You are a hero man because had that guy reloaded..there was plenty more people in that restaurant that probably could have not made it home this morning,'” said witness Chuck Cordero.