In what has been reported as a spate of attacks against the Asian community in the United States, 6 women were killed at spas in the state of Georgia. Al Jazeera reports that while a total of 8 people had been shot dead at 3 different spas, 6 had been Asian.

A 21-year-old white man, Robert Aaron Long, has been taken into custody on suspicion of being behind all three of Tuesdays attacks. Long was taken into custody after being pursued for about 240 kilometres from Atlanta.

Asian Americans had already reportedly been anxious following the recent spike in hate crimes against the community, when this latest incident occurred. According to Al Jazeerah, it has triggered fears that Asian-run businesses may have deliberately been targeted.

At one spa, the victims were two Asian women, a white woman and a white man. A Hispanic man had also sustained wounds in the attack. Atlanta police, meanwhile, confirmed that four women were found dead at two other spas in northeast Atlanta. Police said all four women were Asian. The city police department said: “Upon arrival, officers located three females deceased inside the location from apparent gunshot wounds.” Al Jazeera reports that while on the scene, officers were advised of shots fired across the street, where a fourth Asian female victim was found.

Meanwhile, a study by the Centre for the Study of Hate and Extremism at CSU San Bernardino reported anti-Asian hate crimes had increased almost three times from 49 to 122 cases last year with reports of attacks against Asian-Americans, having spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Activists believe that references to the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus” by former President Donald Trump, amongst others, has contributed to the current violence being experienced by America’s Asian community.

Umm Muhammed Umar