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A series of shootings at three spas in the Atlanta area on Tuesday left eight people dead, and authorities have identified six of them as women of Asian descent, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. A 21-year-old white man, Robert Aaron Long, is in custody and has reportedly confessed to the crimes.
Long drove tens of miles from one spa in a suburb across the Atlanta metro area to attack two other spas, according to officials. NPR reports that Long is believed to have previously visited the spas he attacked.
With reports of hate crimes against Asian Americans rising sharply over the past year, the attack prompted a strong and emotional response across the country, including Southern California.