Six Asian-American women were among the eight victims of the March 16th 2021 shootings. Although prosecutors differ on whether the shootings were motivated racial animus the killings contributed to fear among Asian Americans as well as Pacific Islanders who are already suffering from a increase in hostility. Many people joined the fight to stop it.
Asian American groups in cities across the nation planned rallies Wednesday to commemorate the anniversary of the shootings as well as to raise awareness about the ongoing violence against Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and other Pacific Islanders.
Robert Aaron Long, then 21 years old, shot and killed four people -- Xiaojie Tan, 49, Daoyou Feng 44, Delaina Yaun 33, and Paul Michels 54 -- as well as seriously injuring a fifth person at Youngs Asian Massage, Cherokee County. According to authorities, he drove approximately 30 miles (48 km) southwards to Atlanta where he killed three people -- Suncha Kim, 69, Soon Chung Park, 74, and Hyun Jung Grant. He then crossed the street and shot and killed Yong Ae Yue at Aromatherapy Spa.
Biden stated in a statement that "these horrific murders shaken communities across America and underscored the extent we have to go in our country to combat racism, misogyny and all forms hate -- as well as the epidemic of gun violence which enables these extremists."
The president spoke of a meeting that he and Kamala Harris had with leaders from the Asian American community during a visit to Atlanta just after the shootings.
Biden stated that he heard of the terror and despair felt by many Asian Americans since the COVID-19 pandemic began. This was when anti-Asian violence, harassment and xenophobia skyrocketed.
While prejudice and discrimination against Asian Americans in the U.S. is not new, racist verbal attacks and physical attacks grew sharply since the coronavirus was first discovered in China two years ago. Many believe that the coronavirus virus was first discovered in China by former President Donald Trump.
Stop AAPI Hate tracks incidents across the country based on victim self-reporting. It recorded 10,905 incidents between March 19, 2020 and the end of 2018, with 4,632 in 2020, and 6,273 by 2021. The total included 61.8% of incidents reported by women.
Police said that Long, shortly after the shootings in Georgia, blamed his actions on a'sex addiction, which isn’t officially recognized, and used the spas as a means of temptation. Many Asian Americans and their friends found this explanation unacceptable. They saw the killings in Georgia as hate crimes.
In July, he pleaded guilty to murder and other charges related to the Cherokee County shootings. The district attorney said that investigators had not found evidence that Long was motivated racial bias. The prosecutor also noted the diversity of those who were shot in the area -- there were two victims of Asian descent and two whites, as well as two Hispanic victims. The Fulton County District Attorney is seeking a sentencing increase under the state hate crime law in Atlanta. She believes that race and gender played a part in the shootings.
Rally were held in protest of violence against Asian-Americans over the following weeks and months. Prominent figures such as legislator and ex-federal prosecutors spoke out against violence and demanded solutions.
According to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, initial figures from police agencies show that anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S. rose by 339% between 2021 and 2020. The actual figures could be higher as many victims are reluctant to report incidents and not all hate crimes are being charged.
Police in San Francisco released preliminary figures in January that showed an increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and others. In 2021, there will be 60 victims. This is an increase of nine victims in 2020. One man is alleged to have targeted half of the victims last year.
New York City saw an increase in hate crimes against Asians , with police recording 131 of them last year.
A 28-year old white man was arrested earlier this month for hate crimes. He had randomly punched seven Asian women over the course of two hours.
Two people of Asian descent died in New York City from injuries suffered months ago in an attack that authorities said was likely racially motivated. GuiYing Ma, aged 61, was attacked while she was cleaning a Queens sidewalk. Yao Pan Ma was 61 when he was collecting bottles and cans in Manhattan.
Authorities are not certain if there have been any other attacks on Asian women in the area. These include the stabbing of a woman last month in her Chinatown apartment by a homeless man, who then followed her inside, and the January death by a woman who was shoved in front of a subway station by a mentally ill homeless woman.
Police in Yonkers, New York charged a man this week with attempted murder in a hate crime. He attacked a 67 year-old Asian woman in an apartment block vestibule. The attack was recorded on security camera and he punched her more than 125 time. Prosecutors and police stated that the Black man attacked her using an anti-Asian slur.
