A Christian went on a shooting spree in massage parlors in Georgia, believing that such could eliminate "temptation" for his sexual addiction.
Robert Aaron Long of Woodstock, who attended Crabapple First Baptist Church (CFBC), killed eight people and injured one, in three massage parlors. He also revealed that he was planning to attack more massage parlors in Florida. The casualties include six Asians and two Caucasians. The motive was reportedly due to the suspect's sexual addiction and not a racial issue, The Christian Post (CP) reported.
He began his attack at Young's Asian Massage in Acworth, where he shot four people dead and injured a Hispanic man.
Los Angeles Times wrote that the names of the victims in the first shooting were released Wednesday. Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Adre Michels, Xiaojie Yan and Daoyou Feng were killed, while Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz was injured in the incident.
Long then went to Gold Spa, killing three women. Finally, he proceeded to Aromatherapy Spa and killed another woman.
In a press conference, Captain Jay Baker of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department clarified the suspect's motive.
"He does claim that it was not racially motivated. He apparently has an issue with what he considers a sex addiction and sees these locations as something that allows him to go to these places. It's a temptation for him he wanted to eliminate," Baker said.
Baker also explained that Long understood the gravity of his crime.
Long's family reportedly tracked him by his cellphone and stopped him on his way to Florida to kill more massage parlor staff. His parents contacted the authorities themselves for his capture.
"We are really appreciative of the family. Without them, this would not have happened as quickly as it happened. They are very supportive and certainly, this was difficult for them," Baker stated.
Long was charged with four counts of murder, as well as one count of aggravated assault without bond.
South Korean diplomats in Atlanta confirmed that four of the victims are Koreans. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a meeting with senior South Korean officials in Seoul Wednesday, condemned the killings and offered his condolences to the families of those killed in the incident.
Blinken also said that they will "stand up" for the right of both Americans and Korean Americans for safety, as well as respect and dignity.
To address the fear of spa workers caused by the incident, Atlanta police said that patrols were increased in the area where the killings occurred. Officers were also dispatched to check on similar businesses.
Long graduated from Sequoyah High School in 2017. He formerly attended CFBC with his family and served in the church's student ministry.
CP reached out to Jerry Dockery, the church's lead teaching elder, for comments about Long's faith and the shootings.
"We are grieved to hear the tragic news about the multiple deaths in the Atlanta area. We are heartbroken for all involved. We grieve for the victims and their families and will continue to pray for them. Moreover, we are distraught for the Long family and pray for them as well," Dockery replied.
