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Waffle House shooting victims include college students and an employee

All four victims of the Waffle House shooting Sunday were young people of color.

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By
Amir Vera (CNN)
(CNN) — All four victims of the Waffle House shooting Sunday were young people of color.

They died at the hands of a seminude gunman who got out of his truck, walked into the Antioch Waffle House and began shooting until a man wrestled the gun away from him.

Each of them was under 30; the oldest victim was 29 and the youngest was 20. Two of them were college students. One was a Waffle House employee.

Here's what we know about the victims:

Taurean C. Sanderlin

Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29, of Goodlettsville, was an employee of the restaurant who was fatally wounded as he stood outside, police said.

Joe R. Perez

Joe R. Perez, 20, of Nashville, was a restaurant patron who was fatally wounded as he stood outside, police said.

DeEbony Groves

DeEbony Groves, 21, of Gallatin, was fatally wounded inside the restaurant.

She was out with her Delta Sigma Theta sorority sisters before going to Waffle House, according to CNN affiliate WKRN-TV.

Groves was a senior majoring in social work at Belmont University, according to the school's student newspaper, Belmont Vision.

The newspaper quoted Belmont President Robert Fisher as saying, "I am shocked and devastated by how such senseless violence has taken the life of this young woman, an individual full of immense potential."

The school will be offering counseling, according to CNN affiliate WTVF-TV.

Akilah DaSilva

Akilah DaSilva, 23, of Antioch, was critically wounded inside the restaurant and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

He had been at the restaurant with his older brother and girlfriend, Shanita Waggoner, 21, according to CNN affiliate WTVF-TV. Waggoner was also injured in the shooting.

DaSilva, known by his stage name "Natrix," was passionate about music, his mother, Shaundelle Brooks, told CNN affiliate WTVF-TV.

He was a student pursuing a career in musical engineering at Middle Tennessee State University, Brooks said.

"He spoke through his creativity and he entertained the world through his music," she said.

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