Robert Aaron Long
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| “ | I'm not racist because I have a sex addiction that made me eliminate people and places I'd be tempted by, which are Asian women and Asian spas. | „ |
| ~ Long attempting to justify the shooting. |
Robert Aaron Long is an American man responsible for perpetrating the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings, in which he killed 8 people (with 6 of them being Asian women) at three different massage parlors throughout Atlanta, Georgia.[1] He is currently imprisoned for murder and awaiting trial on hate crime charges.
Biography edit
Early life edit
Long graduated from Sequoyah High School in 2017; according to a former student who graduated with him, Long was a hunter and "into religion". Prior to the shootings, he had spent time in rehab for sex addiction.
The shooting edit
Authorities responded to reports made at around 5:00 p.m. EDT (21:00 UTC) of a shooting at Young's Asian Massage, a massage parlor near Acworth. There, they found two people fatally shot and three others wounded; two of the wounded later died at a hospital. At 5:47 p.m., police responded to reports of a robbery at Gold Spa on Piedmont Road in northeast Atlanta, about 30 miles (48 km) from the first shooting scene. There, they found three women dead from gunshot wounds. Soon afterwards, they discovered another woman shot and killed at Aromatherapy Spa, located across the street.[2]
According to The Chosun Ilbo, an eyewitness to the Gold Spa shooting told local Korean media that the shooter said that he would kill all Asians.[3]
According to the Atlanta Police Department, they noticed the similarities between the Piedmont Road and Acworth shootings and subsequently dispatched officers to patrol similar businesses in the area. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist in the investigation.
Motive edit
No motive has yet been established. However, several commentators noted the ethnicity of the victims, six of eight of which are women of Asian descent, amidst an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, or have characterized it as a hate crime.[4]
The suspect has claimed that his actions were not racially motivated, but instead related to his sexual addiction. According to the Cherokee County Sheriff, the suspect wanted to "eliminate the temptation" by targeting massage parlors.[5]
Long allegedly spent time in rehabilitation for sexual addiction in 2020, and felt "tortured" by his addiction to sex as he was deeply religious, according to a roommate who lived with him during his stay at a transition house after exiting rehabilitation. According to a police source, Long was recently kicked out of the house by his family due to his sexual addiction.[6]
The suspect was on his way to Florida when he was apprehended, leading to suspicion that he may have been planning to carry out additional shootings.
Legal proceedings edit
Long was charged with 23 counts of felony murder, malice murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault in Cherokee County, where the first shooting took place. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.[7] He was charged with 19 counts of murder, aggravated assault, domestic terrorism and hate crimes in Fulton County, where the other shootings took place. Long has pleaded not guilty.[8]
Victims edit
- Suncha Kim, 69
- Daoyou Feng, 44
- Delaina Yaun, 33
- Xiaojie Tan, 49
- Paul Michels, 54
- Hyun Jung Grant, 51
- Soon Chung Kim, 74
- Yong Ae Yue, 63
References edit
- ↑ 8 killed in shootings at 3 metro Atlanta spas. Police have 1 suspect in custody, CNN
- ↑ A nationwide horror: Witnesses, police paint a picture of a murderous rampage that took 8 lives, The Washington Post
- ↑ Atlanta shooter told me "I'm going to kill all Asians", The Chosun Ilbo
- ↑ Racism, sexism must be considered in Atlanta case involving killing of six Asian women, experts say, NBC News
- ↑ Robert Aaron Long: Police claim Georgia suspect said 'bad day' and sex addiction led to massage parlour murders, The Independent
- ↑ Suspect in deadly spa shootings may have "sexual addiction," sheriff says, CBS News
- ↑ Man pleads guilty to 4 Asian spa killings, sentenced to life, Associated Press
- ↑ Accused Georgia spa shooter pleads not guilty to four murder charges, Reuters