What We Know About the Atlanta Spa Shootings
By Jonah Kearns
O n 16 March, Robert Aaron Long, 21, went on a shooting rampage at three spas in the Cherokee county of Atlanta. He killed a total of 8 people and injured multiple others. The shootings occurred in the span of a few hours before Long was arrested by police.
He has since been charged with murder and aggravated assault. However, he has not been charged with a hate crime.
Racially Motivated Attack
Six of the victims were of Asian descent, leading to speculation that this was a racially motivated attack against Asians. This comes amidst a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes across the USA, which has been attributed to anger over the COVID-19 crisis.
The shootings have sparked nationwide demonstrations, with thousands rallying in protest against anti-Asian hate crimes. GoFundMe pages have since been set up for the victims.
Anger Over Response from Police
Authorities have yet to establish Long’s motive. This has sparked outrage on social media, with many stressing that the large number of Asian victims is indicative of these attacks being racially motivated.
Captain Jay Baker from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department has also come under fire for his remarks in response to the incident. He said that the day of the attacks was a “really bad day” for Long. Additionally, he hinted that Long’s “sex addiction” was the main reason for the attacks. These comments resulted in widespread anger, with many criticising Baker for sympathising with Long.
It was later revealed that Baker had previously uploaded a post on Facebook, in which he advertised the sale of T-shirts that bore the words “COVID-19 Imported virus from CHY-NA”. The post was soon circulated widely over social media.
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