Georgia Suffers 3 Spa Shootings That Leave 8 Dead, Suspect Arrested: Report

The city was just the epicenter for NBA All-Star Weekend as thousands of people, including several celebrities, descended on Atlanta to party, but now the Peach State is mourning eight losses. According to multiple reports, on Tuesday (March 16), there were three separate shootings in Georgia that all took place at spas or massage parlors. In Atlanta, police responded to an emergency call of a robbery, and when they arrived, they walked into a grisly scene. Three women were found inside, shot to death.

The story takes a turn when, as the officers were at one scene, they were alerted that an altercation was occurring at a spa across the street. Authorities quickly rushed to the location but they were too late; another woman had suffered a fatal gunshot wound. The third incident reportedly took place in Acworth, Georgia at a spa where four people were killed and one person was injured. 

In the Acworth shooting, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long was identified and arrested. At the time of this publication, authorities haven't stated whether or not Long is linked to the other shootings. "Many have asked whether these shootings are related to Cherokee County's shootings. At the moment, it is too early to confirm that, but we have spoken with Cherokee County officials and we are looking into that possibility," Atlanta Police reportedly shared in a statement.

It's also being reported that many if not all of the victims were Asian and the public is concerned that these incidents are hate crimes that have increased during the pandemic.

[via]