Georgia, USA: 8 Killed in Mass Shootings

Eight people have died, and one has been wounded, after an active shooter opened fire at three different spa and massage parlours in Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday evening, 16 March.

Two of the shootings were at spas across the street from each other in northeast Atlanta and the other happened about 30 miles away in Cherokee County to the northwest of the city.

All of the spas were run and staffed by either Asian-Americans or Asian nationals. Six of the deceased victims were Asian women.

Officials said a 21-year-old white man named Robert Aaron Long had been arrested and was believed to be the suspect in all of the attacks.

An official said: “The suspect was taken into custody without incident … and transported to the Crisp County jail.”

While no official motive has yet been established, there are fears that the crimes may have deliberately targeted people of Asian descent.

Hate crimes against Asian-Americans have spiked in recent months, fuelled by a public perception that blames them for the spread of Covid-19, because it originated in China.