A manhunt is under way after a naked gunman shot and killed four people at a restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, before a customer disarmed him.

The gunman was armed with an AR-15 style assault rifle when he entered the Waffle House in Antioch, a suburb of Nashville, police said.

The customer has been hailed as a "hero" after he wrestled the weapon from the gunman, who then fled the scene.

Six people were shot in total, including two who were killed in the car park outside the restaurant. The gunman then opened fire on customers inside the Waffle House, killing one and wounding another, who later died.

Two more were wounded and are being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre.


Nashville police identified the brave customer as James Shaw Jr.

Police spokesman Don Aaron said: "The shots had stopped so he decided to rush the gunman, actually wrestled that assault rifle away, tossed it over the counter and, at that point, the gunman fled."

The 29-year-old "hero" saved many lives, he added.

Image: James Shaw was treated for a minor injury

Mr Shaw, who was grazed by a bullet, told the Tennessean in an interview that he was "just trying to get myself out. I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it."

"When I was in the ambulance to hospital I kept thinking that I'm going to wake up and it's not going to be real.

"It is something out a movie. I'm OK though, but I hate that it happened."

The gunman entered the Waffle House restaurant shortly before 3.30am local time.

In a statement, police said he "was nude and fled on foot."

The suspect was wearing nothing but a green jacket, which he removed before fleeing.

Officers described the man as white, with short hair.

BREAKING: Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, IL, is person of interest in Waffle House shooting. Vehicle the gunman arrived in is registered to him. Gunman last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike. He shed is coat and is nude. See Reinking? Pls call 615-862-8600 immediately. pic.twitter.com/duoWCo5fC0 — Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) 22 April 2018

The gunman's vehicle was registered to Travis Reinking, a 29-year-old from Morton, Illinois, who police identified as a person of interest.

Police were searching for the man early on Sunday and it was unclear if he was armed with another weapon.

A man believed to be Reinking was last seen on Mountain Springs Drive near the Waffle House, wearing black trousers and no shirt, police said.

They have urged the public to be vigilant and warned that he is to be considered still armed and extremely dangerous.

AR-15 assault rifles are commonly used in mass shootings in America.

The same gun was used by Nikolas Cruz who opened fire at a Florida school killing 17 people in February.

Stephen Paddock also used the same rifle to kill at least 59 people attending a concert from his hotel window in Las Vegas in October 2017.