Nashville: A nearly nude gunman killed four people at a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, early on Sunday and then fled after a patron saved lives by wrestling the assault-style rifle from his hands.

The suspected shooter, identified as Travis Reinking, 29, fled on foot and was still at large as murder warrants were being issued for him, the Metropolitan Nashville Police said.

Reinking, originally from Morton, Illinois, lives near the restaurant, Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron told an afternoon news conference. The gunman’s vehicle was registered to him and was found at the scene, Aaron said.

Police speculate that Reinking ran home, grabbed a pair of pants and fled his apartment. A shirtless, shoeless man believed to be him was spotted in the woods nearby, police said.

The gunman, who was naked but for a green jacket, first shot and killed two people in the parking lot of the restaurant in Antioch, a section of southeast Nashville, shortly before 3:30 a.m. (0830 GMT).

He then entered the restaurant and opened fire, police said, killing one patron and wounding another, who later died. Two other people were in critical condition at a hospital.

One diner, James Shaw Jr., 29, who had hidden near the restrooms, dashed out and pulled the rifle from the gunman. His fast actions were credited with saving lives, but Shaw said at the news conference that he was no hero.

‘I just wanted to live,’ said Shaw, who added that he had been getting a snack with friends after a fraternity house party. ‘I figured if I was going to die, he was going to have to work for it. I was completely doing that to save myself.’

Shaw suffered non-life-threatening wounds including an injured elbow, while other patrons suffered facial wounds from shattered glass. He said he did not pursue the fleeing gunman for fear he had another weapon.

As the shooter ran off, he discarded the jacket, which contained additional ammunition, according to police, who cautioned that he was to be considered armed and extremely dangerous.