Three massage parlors were attacked on Tuesday night in Atlanta and suburbs, resulting in the death of eight people, mostly Asian women. The suspected killer, identified as Robert Aaron Long has been arrested by the law enforcement after a dramatic car chase.
The 21-year-old killer shot dead his victims at three different massage parlors. The police have confirmed that the same shooter was involved in all the three incidents. Six of them victims were Asian women, triggering theories that the killing spree was inspired by racist or white supremacist prejudice.
"It does appear that it's the same suspect," Capt. Jay Baker of the Cherokee Sheriff's Office told the local media.
Who is Robert Aaron Long?
There is little information as of now about the killer, and about his motives. The Crisp County Sheriffs Office said they got information about the shooting around 8:00 PM from Sheriff Frank Reynolds. The message said a wanted suspect was traveling south on a 2007 model black Hyundai Tucson.
Following this, a GSP Trooper performed a PIT maneuver around the 93 mile marker. The suspect was arrested without incident and transported to the Crisp County Detention Center, the police said.
Long entered the Young's Asian Massage in Cherokee County, Ga. and opened fire on five people shortly before 5 p.m. As many as four of the victims of that shooting died on the spot. The victims included two Asian women, a Caucasian woman and a Caucasian man.
One hour later, four more people were killed in shootings at two spas on Piedmont Road in Atlanta.
Where Was Long Heading?
The killer was stopped and arrested in southern Georgia, miles away from the crime scenes, after a highway chase. The police used a tactical driving maneuver to get the suspect to stop the vehicle before arresting him.
The Atlanta police authorities have not been able to ascertain a motive behind the killings. While social media was abuzz with theories that the victims were targeted because they were Asians, the authorities have not confirmed if its a racist attack.
