An arrest in Georgia has been made after Robert Aaron Long was accused of killing eight people at massage parlors in three separate shootings. According to one report, Long stated his murders were not racially motivated but that he had a “sex addiction”.
Regardless of what Long is claiming, an investigation has been opened to decide if these deaths are from a hate crime. In fact, there has been a wave of attacks on Asian Americans — six of his alleged victims were Asian and seven were women.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office stated the following after arresting Long:
“Long confessed to the shootings in Cherokee County and Atlanta. Long told investigators that he blames the massage parlors for providing an outlet for his addiction to sex.”
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In a press conference with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, she stated Long was headed to Florida where more shootings could have happened.
“It’s very likely there would have been more victims,” Bottoms stated.
Long is being held on four counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault. In addition to those charges in Cherokee County, in Atlanta, he is facing four counts of murder.
Mayor Bottoms also addressed that the majority of the victims were Asian stating, “we know (violence against Asian Americans) is an issue that’s happening around the country; it is unacceptable, it is hateful, and it has to stop.”
According to the Cherokee County police department, Long is on a suicide watch and is wearing a special vest (as seen in his mug shot) in order to keep him from harming himself.
More details to come as the story develops.
