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Fundraiser creates college fund for Waffle House hero's daughter

The hero returned the favor and started a fundraiser for the victims.
Credit: Mark Zaleski/For the Tennessean
James Shaw Jr. holds his daughter Brooklyn Shaw, 4, as he cries while speaking during a prayer vigil at the Mount Zion Baptist Church Monday, April 23, 2018, in Antioch, Tenn.

Nashville — A New York man has launched a GoFundMe account to help create a college fund for the four-year-old daughter of Waffle House hero James Shaw Jr.

As of Tuesday morning, the fundraising effort led by Yashar Ali, hit its $50,000 goal in less than 12 hours.

Former first lady Hillary Clinton even retweeted Ali's post about creating the fundraiser.

Metro police say Shaw, a heroic bystander, wrestled an AR-15 out of the hands of mass shooting suspect Travis Reinking after he opened fire at an Antioch Waffle House early Sunday morning.

Shaw returned the favor and started a GoFundMe of his own for the victims. Within two days, donors raised over seven times the original goal amount of $15,000.

Four people were killed in the shooting and several others were injured, but Shaw's actions saved lives, according to police.

"Part of the reason I decided to start this is James, after putting his life on the line, started a @gofundme for the victims," Ali posted on Twitter. "He really represents the best of America and I think we should help him too."

Donate to the college fund here and the victims fund here.

Earlier this week Shaw started a GoFundMe page to help the victims. He's raised more than $87,000 since launching the page, with a goal of $15,000, on April 22.

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