Stop Asian Hate: 6 Asian American Women Were Victims of Hate Crime Shooting in Atlanta
Though there have always been anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States, this past year has seen a rise in anti-Asian violence since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. And in Atlanta, three Asian-owned businesses were targeted, 8 people were murdered, 5 of whom were Asian women. Something has to give. We cannot continue to ignore the dangers of white supremacy.
The in Shooting Atlanta
On March 16, 2021, Robert Aaron Long, 21, a White male shooter entered Young’s Asian Massage Parlor in Acworth, Georgia, and shot and killed four people--two Asian women, a White woman, and a White man, and left another victim, a Hispanic man, wounded just outside. He then drove to two additional, Asian-owned businesses, Aromatherapy Spa and Gold Spa in Atlanta, and killed four more people. After being cornered on the highway after losing control of his car, he was arrested, unscathed.
Cherokee County Police Director of Communications, Captain Jay Baker went on to excuse Long’s alleged killing spree as "fed up, at the end of his rope, and yesterday was a really a bad day for him…” Although he said the Long took responsibility for the murders, Baker tried to weave the narrative of a sex addicted young male trying to get rid of temptation. Never mind that Long drove past strip clubs and sex toy stores to specifically target Asian businesses.
Though Baker says the shooting wasn’t racially motivated, an eyewitness says otherwise. A Gold Spa employee who escaped and warned other businesses about the attack told local Korean media that the shooter said, “I’m going to kill all Asians.”
The South Korean Consulate in Atlanta confirmed that four of the six women killed were Korean. There are still people debating whether this was a racially motivated hate crime or hate crime targeting sex workers. It was likely both. However, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are asking everyone to just listen to them, as they have been trying to get people to take notice of the uptick in anti-Asian violence since the beginning of the pandemic, egged on by rhetoric from the Trump Administration.
The internet was quick to learn that Captain Jay Baker has a history of posting anti-Asian content on social media. Can we expect justice led by someone who is racist himself? In a now deleted Facebook post, Captain Baker posted racist, anti-Chinese tee shirts.
Brands and Organizations Show Support for Asian Americans After Atlanta Shooting
Asian people across the globe are hurting from the continued anti-Asian violence. It sucks that it took an anti-Asian shooting spree in Georgia to get people to listen to Asian voices. With the Atlanta murders and continued uptick in anti-Asian rhetoric and violence, we’re seeing brands, organizations and content creators share messages of support for Asian Americans and condemn anti-Asian hate. The gaming industry has been swift in denouncing white supremacy and showing solidarity with Asian American communities, including Ubisoft, Bungie, Bethesda, and Twitch.
The Asian American/Pacific Islander in Philanthropy or AAPIP has created an Anti-Asian Violence Resources card to assist those who want to learn more and show support and solidarity to Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. IGN has also provided a series of local and national resources to help support Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
The first step in showing solidarity and offering support, however, is listening to Asian voices when they tell you they are being targeted. Don’t discount AAPI experiences just because you don’t see it happening. The first step is always to listen.
Cover photo: Julia Kestner
