At least eight dead in three Atlanta massage parlor shootings

Multiple shootings at two Atlanta massage parlors and one in the suburb have left eight people dead, many of whom were women of Asian descent.authorities said on Tuesday. A suspect was arrested in southwest Georgia hours later.

Rodney Bryant, chief of the Atlanta Police Department, said three people died at a massage parlor in northeast Atlanta, while a fourth was killed at another massage parlor in across the street. He said the four victims were women and that “it looks like they could be Asian”.

Atlanta police responding to an ongoing theft report in one of the rooms at 5:50 p.m. found three women dead from what appeared to be gunshot wounds.the authorities said. At the scene, they learned that another call reported gunshots at a spa across the street and a dead woman was found gunned down inside the business.

Shortly before, around 5 p.m., five people were shot dead at the Young Asian massage parlor in Acworth, about 50 kilometers north of Atlanta, said Capt Jay Baker of the U.S. Cherokee County Police Department. Two of the victims died and three were taken to hospital where two of them were pronounced dead, Baker added.

Authorities have so far not disclosed the gender or race of the victims, Baker said.

In the first (Gold Spa) three women died and in the last (Aromatherapy Spa) another woman. According to Atlanta police, these four murdered women were of Asian descent.

A man suspected of the Acworth shooting was caught on surveillance camera when he arrived at the company around 4:50 p.m. Tuesday, minutes before the shooting, authorities said. Baker said the suspect, identified as Robert Aron Long, 21, of Woodstock, was being held in Crisp County, located about 240 kilometers south of Atlanta.

Baker said he believed Long was the suspect in the Atlanta shooting as well.

A 21-year-old was arrested in southwest Georgia on Tuesday.hours after eight people were killed in shootings at three massage parlors in the Atlanta metro area.

Robert Aaron Long of Woodstock, Ga., Was arrested overnight in Crisp County, located about 240 kilometers south of Atlanta, said Capt Jay Baker of the Cherokee County Police Department.

Long would be responsible, according to the authorities, for the three attacks, the reasons for which have not yet been revealed.

Atlanta Police said they sent officers to search for similar businesses nearby and stepped up surveillance in the area.

With information from AP and EFE

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