Eight women were killed in a shooting in the Atlantic area in Georgia on Saint Patrick’s day. Robert Aaron Long killed mostly Asian massage therapists, at three different massage parlors under claims of them being ‘temptation’ for his ‘sex addiction’. However, sex addiction is not a real thing according to the American Psychology Association. The city is addressing the crime in a variety of ways, some better than others.

To some, this may not come as a surprise as anti-Asian hate crimes have increased almost 150% over the past year due to Covid.

“I wasn’t surprised spas and massage parlors were targeted,” Matthew Thomas (12) said. “The hashtag SAH has been trending so it could encourage people who want to hurt them.”

Despite it clearly being a hate crime, there are some who try to explain away this horrendous act.

“He was pretty much fed up and kind of at the end of his rope,” Police Sergeant Jay Baker said. “[He had] a really bad day and this is what he did.”

Despite the justification from the police force, Atlantic City isn’t a lost cause. The mayor was not happy with their reaction.

“We are not about to get into victim blaming, victim shaming, here,” Mayor Bottoms said.

This attack highlights how white people try to ignore the Asian American experience just because they’re considered the ‘model minority, which is false and a stereotypical rhetoric to turn minorities against one another.

“It’s a very good testament to how firearms can be very harmful in the hands of dangerous and stupid individuals and how it’s not just African Americans who are under attack, Paige Issacks (10) said.

 It’s all marginalized communities.” 

Given that it’s the deadliest mass killing in two years, the White House released multiple statements.

“Whatever the motivation here, I know Asian Americans are very concerned, because as you know I have been speaking about the brutality against Asian Americans, and it’s troubling,” President Joe Biden said.

Authorities have released the names of the victims. They are as follows: Soon C. Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong A. Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, and Daoyou Feng.

“It is tragic, VP Harris said. “Our country…and all of us, we grieve for those lost. Our prayers are with the families of those who have been killed.”