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These incidents have come about as a result of the recent rise in hate crimes against the Asian American community and persistent fears that Asian-run companies may be targeted.
Four people were killed in a shooting at Young’s Asian Massage Center near Aquworth, a suburb of the capital Atlanta in Georgia, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, citing the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Capt.Jay Baker told the publication that the victims were two Asian women, a Caucasian woman and a Caucasian man. Another Spanish-speaking man was injured.
The Atlanta Police Department separately confirmed that four women were found dead at two spas in northeast Atlanta, referred to in the media as Gold Massage Spa and Aroma Therapy Spa.
Police in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said all four victims in Atlanta are Asian.
South Korean news agency Yonhap quoted the country’s Foreign Ministry as confirming that the four victims were of Korean origin.
Authorities said 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long is a suspect in all three shooting incidents.
According to videos of the shooting ranges at the three Atlanta-area spas, “it is very likely that our suspect is the same from Cherokee County and is under arrest,” Sgt. John Chafee, a police spokesman for the United States said. Atlanta.
VIDEO: The shootings killed 8 people in the United States, suspected of targeting people of Asian descent.
He added that the investigators are working closely together “to ensure that our cases are connected.”
According to the publication, the suspect was detained about 150 miles from Atlanta.
RALong was arrested after a “brief manhunt,” according to a report by the Georgia Department of Homeland Security on Facebook.
Officers arriving at the crime scene in northeast Atlanta “found three women who died at the scene of alleged gunshot wounds,” the city police department said in a statement.
Officers at the scene were informed of the shooting at a spa across the street, where they found a fourth woman who appears to have been shot.
The injured husband’s niece, Adriana Mejía, said the family was shocked by the uncle’s shooting and that everyone was praying for his recovery.
“You never know when you’ll be in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is assisting with the investigation, a spokesman told AFP.
“He’s not American”
There has been an increase in reports of attacks on Americans of Asian descent, mostly elderly, in recent months. Activists say the attacks were fueled during a pandemic by former President Donald Trump and others over the “Chinese virus.”
Before news of the shootings, Stop AAPI Hate, a non-governmental organization that collects data on incidents of discrimination, hatred, and xenophobia, released a report showing a significant increase in hate crimes against Americans, especially women.
A summary of the incidents reported to the organization between March 2020 and February this year shows almost 70 percent. The Asian Americans surveyed said they had experienced verbal abuse, and just over 10 percent. reported experiencing physical violence.
While racial motive can be difficult to determine, the California State University San Bernardine Center for Hate and Extremism Research also reported that, according to their data, hate crimes against Asians of Asian descent have nearly tripled. in 16 cities in the United States, including New York. and Los Angeles, the number fell 7 percent.
Georgia is home to nearly 500,000 people. people of Asian descent – just over 4%. the Asian American Advocacy Fund, a non-governmental organization.
The Georgia Democratic Party called Tuesday’s crimes horrible.
“As more details become clear, this attack is sadly in line with the unacceptable pattern of violence against Americans of Asian descent that has increased dramatically during this pandemic,” said Nikema Williams, state party member and Speaker of the House of Representatives. The United States of America. Representatives.
Addressing the people of the country last Thursday, President Joe Biden strongly condemned “the horrible hate crimes against Americans of Asian descent who are being harassed, accused and forced to become scapegoats.”
“It’s wrong. This is not American. And it must stop,” the president said.
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