A suspect is in custody after eight people died and one person injured in three separate shooting incidents at several massage parlors in the Atlanta metropolitan area on Tuesday night.
Of interest: According to the New York Times, all but one of the victims were police victims, and six were of Asian descent – according to the New York Times, they were concerned that the attacks were racially motivated. Seoul officials said four of the victims were of South Korean descent.
What we know: According to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office, Robert Aaron Long, a 21-year-old white man from Woodstock, Georgia, was arrested Tuesday night and charged with murder. The FBI is assisting Atlanta and Cherokee County authorities in the investigation.
- The attacks began around 5:00 p.m. at Youngs Asian Massage Parlor, about 30 miles north of Atlanta, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said. Two people died on the spot and three were taken to hospital, where two of them died.
- About 50 minutes later, police responding to reports of a robbery found three people dead at Gold Spa in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood.
- While there, they received reports of shots fired at the Aromatherapy Spa across the street. When they arrived, they found the body of a woman with gunshot wounds.
- Atlanta police said in a statement that video footage indicates “it is highly probable” that the same person was responsible for all three shootings.
For the record: Police came in after the Atlanta shootings New York and Seattle announced they are increasing the presence of law enforcement officials in Asian-American communities.
- Hotline Stop AAPI Hate said in a statement While it was not immediately clear whether the Georgia shootings were motivated by hatred, there is “much fear and pain in the Asian-American community … which is reeling from the high levels of racial discrimination.”
- The group released a report earlier Tuesday showing that racism-fueled violence against Asian Americans continues to increase, with women more than twice as likely to be targeted than men.
What they say: Her. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) Tweeted“My heart is broken tonight after the tragic violence in Atlanta that took eight lives. Once again we see that hatred kills. Pray for the families of the victims and for peace for the community.”
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Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story. Please check again for updates.