8 killed in shootings at Atlanta-area spas

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said today that police determined the Atlanta spa shooting suspect was on his way to Florida "perhaps to carry out additional shootings."

She commended law enforcement for their coordination and quick response in apprehending the suspect.

"This could have been a significantly worse," Bottoms said.

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Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant said investigators are not ready to say yet whether or not the shootings are being considered as a hate crime. "We are still early in this investigation, so we cannot make that determination at this moment," the chief said at a press conference today.

He continued: "Again, we are very early in this investigation. Even though we've made an arrest, there's still a lot more work to be done."

“I know that that's going to be a concern and that you're probably asking that of many of us, we're just not there, as of yet.”

The press conference is ongoing.

Atlanta Mayor mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant and other officials are now giving an update on Tuesday night's spa shootings in the Atlanta area.

Eight people – including six Asian women – were shot dead at three metro Atlanta spas. One suspect is in custody, authorities said. 

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that he "won't comment on the tragedy" in the Atlanta are because it is under investigation, but he did say domestic violence extremism is the greatest threat of terrorism the US is facing.

Mayorkas said in his opening statement that "the most significant terrorist threat facing our nation comes from lone offenders and small groups of individuals who commit acts of violence."

He said added these ideologies are spread "by false narratives, conspiracy theories, and extremist rhetoric usually spread through social media and other online platforms."

Former Secretary of State and 2008 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said the “surge in violence against Asian Americans over the last year is a growing crisis.” 

In a Wednesday tweet, Clinton said she is “sending prayers today to the families of the people killed and those injured in Atlanta’s horrific attacks.” 

On Tuesday, eight people – including six Asian women – were shot dead at three metro Atlanta spas. One suspect is in custody, authorities said. 

Remember: Police have not yet offered a motive in the bloody attacks, but because of many of the victims' backgrounds, some public officials and organizations have raised concerns that ethnicity came into play.

Tuesday's shootings also come against a backdrop of an increase in violence against Asian Americans nationwide.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the attorney general and the FBI director will brief President Biden on the Tuesday shootings at Atlanta-area spas.

“Later this morning, the President will be briefed over the phone by Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray on the horrific shootings last night in Atlanta," she said.

At least eight people were killed— including six Asian women — in the attacks at three Atlanta-area spas.

The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum said they are “appalled and devastated” by the shootings around Atlanta on Tuesday. 

Executive Director Sung Yeon Choimorrow issued a statement on Wednesday:

Remember: Police have not yet offered a motive in the bloody attacks, but because six of the eight victims were Asian women, some public officials and organizations have raised concerns that ethnicity came into play. Tuesday's shootings also come against a backdrop of an increase in violence against Asian Americans nationwide.

Choimorrow said that anti-Asian hate and violence disproportionately impacts women.

“New polling commissioned by NAPAWF has revealed that nearly half of Asian American and Pacific Islander women have been affected by anti-Asian racism in the past two years. This comes as no surprise,” she said. 

In the NAPAWF statement, one woman who was using the pseudonym Ms. N because of safety concerns said, “You go to work and you’re trying to earn money, and you have your family to feed and you’re just trying to survive and be like everyone else. And then stuff like this happens and it’s so scary. I am a part of the Vietnamese immigrant community, and I fear for our safety.”   

The Atlanta Police Department will hold a press conference about last night's spa shootings today at 10:30 a.m. ET. 

What we know so far: Of the eight people who were shot dead at three metro Atlanta massage parlors on Tuesday, six were Asian women.

While police have not yet offered a motive in the bloody attacks, but the shootings come against a backdrop of an increase in violence against Asian Americans nationwide.

Police say video evidence has led them to believe the same suspect, Robert Aaron Long, is responsible for all three shootings. Long, 21, was apprehended in Crisp County, Georgia, around 8:30 p.m. ET. The county is about 150 miles south of Atlanta.

Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Wednesday that she has been in touch with the White House about Tuesday’s string of shootings at metro-Atlanta area spas. 

Bottoms said her prayers were with the families of the victims.