It was argued that the suspect who fired firearms while visiting a massage and spa facility in Atlanta, Georgia, usually showed a strong dislike for China through social media. Six out of the eight people killed in the shooting were Asian, including four Koreans, so there are observations that the crime was caused by racial hatred.
Local media reporter’Suspect Facebook’ released
“China kills 500,000 Americans from coronavirus”
“All Americans Should Fight Against China”
Melissa Colorado, a local media reporter run by NBC, released a post on Facebook that suspect Robert Aaron Long, 21, posted on Facebook. According to this, Long wrote in a post, “China is working to conceal Corona 19,” and “China has also interfered with the investigation into the Wuhan Institute to find the truth.”
![According to NBC media reporter Melissa Colorado, serial shooting suspect Robert Aaron Long recently wrote a hate speech targeting China on his Facebook page. [인스타그램 갈무리]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202103/17/fe111d2a-0883-45fc-95b8-e1f961a7cfca.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
According to NBC media reporter Melissa Colorado, serial shooting suspect Robert Aaron Long recently wrote a hate speech targeting China on his Facebook page. [인스타그램 갈무리]
“China knows how the’Wuhan virus’ was created,” he said. “The killing of 500,000 Americans (by Corona 19) is part of a plan to take the initiative in the 21st century.”
“China is the greatest evil of our time,” he argued, and that “all Americans, whether Republicans or Democrats, must fight against China.”
Meanwhile, The Daily Beast, a local media outlet, reported on the 16th that Long introduced himself to Instagram as “I love guns and gods.” Long’s classmate, who asked for anonymity, told the media, “Long rarely cursed and was innocent,” and “His father was a pastor, and Long was also obsessed with religion.”
Although the motive for the crime has not yet been revealed, influential media such as the New York Times (NYT) are also discussing the possibility of hate crimes. Local media reported that she was an Asian woman. The suspect, Long, was arrested on the day of the incident in Crisp County, Georgia, about 240 kilometers from the scene of the second and third incidents. He is currently in Crisp County Prison.
Atlanta firearms log. Graphic = Kim Hyun-seo [email protected]
‘Stop AAPI Heights’, a racial hate crime reporting site, condemned the incident as “an indescribable tragedy not only for the victims’ families, but also for Asian societies that are victims of racist crimes.”
AAPI said that 3795 cases of hate crimes were received from March 19th last year to 28th of last month, of which 42.2% were Chinese victims, followed by Koreans with 14.8%.
Reporter Seok Kyung-min [email protected]
