A U.S. congressman is calling for restricting access to some assault weapons in the wake of a shooting at a Waffle House 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."

The shooting early Sunday at the Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee, killed four and left four others wounded. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said authorities are still searching for 29-year-old Travis Reinking in connection with the incident.

Authorities had characterized the weapon used in the shooting as an "assault-type" rifle.

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They also tweeted an image of the weapon they said was used by the gunman.

Investigation on going at the Waffle House. Scene being processed by MNPD experts. This is the rifle used by the gunman. pic.twitter.com/lihhRImHQN — Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Also Sunday, former congresswoman Gabby Giffords -- who is a survivor of an attempted assassination and a gun control advocate -- issued a statement saying "we deserve the right to live without fear of gun violence."

"This past year has seen tragedy after tragedy -- those you've seen on the news and those you haven't. We've seen weapons that belong on a battlefield used to slaughter innocent Americans, including children," she wrote. "We've seen thousands more die in hundreds of communities across every state. This is not normal, and we shouldn't accept it as normal."

She added: "Too often we fail to do what we can to prevent these shootings from happening in the first place ... Our hearts are heavy, but we are focused on change."