Politics
Who is Xiaojie Yan?
XIAOJIE Yan is one of several victims from the Atlanta spa shootings.
She tragically succumbed to her injuries after she was was caught in the crossfire.
Crime scene tape surrounds Gold Spa after deadly shootings at a massage parlor and two day spas in the Atlanta area[/caption]
Who is Xiaojie Yan?
Xiaojie Yan is one of the victims killed in the Atlanta shootings carried out by a rogue gunman.
The other victims are said to include:
- Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33, of Acworth
- Paul Andre Michels, 54, of Atlanta
- Xiaojie Yan, 49, of Kennesaw
- Daoyou Feng, 44, unknown address
Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, 30, of Acworth, is the only victim said to be in a stable condition.
The suspect in the shootings Robert Aaron Long, 21, has been charged with, “four counts of Murder and one count of Aggravated Assault and has no bond,” the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office statement says.
Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, 30, of Acworth is reportedly in stable condition[/caption]
Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds said the suspect may have been a patron and claimed to have a “sex addiction.”
What happened in Atlanta on March 16?
In Atlanta, Georgia on March 16, a total of eight victims were gunned down by perpetrator Aaron Long.
Seven were women and six of them were of Asian descent.
The first shooting happened at around 5pm at the Youngs Asian Massage Parlor off Bells Ferry Road and Highway 92 in Acworth, Georgia.
Long, 21, was captured by surveillance video pulling up to the business around 4.50pm, just minutes before the shooting.
Suspected Atlanta gunman Robert Aaron Long, who is alleged to have opened fire at three spas in the area[/caption]
Two people died at the scene. A further three were transported to hospital, where another two succumbed to their injuries.
From Young’s Asian Massage, it’s believed the gunman drove more than 30 miles and opened fire at two other businesses north of the city in the suburb of Woodland Hills.
Less than an hour later, police responded to a call of a “robbery in progress” at Gold Spa, in northeast Atlanta.
Three women were shot dead in that attack.
The gunman then headed to another spa situated just across the street, the Aromatherapy Spa, where officers found another woman deceased.
Mark Riley, of the Georgia State Patrol, speaks at a press conference on March 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia[/caption]
Long, 21, was arrested on the night of March 16 after leading cops on a three hour car chase, Cherokee County Sheriff’s spokesperson Howard J Baker said.
Long was only apprehended after authorities performed a pursuit intervention technique (PIT) to stop his vehicle.
The move “caused the vehicle to spin out of control” as Long was reportedly driving south on Interstate 75.
He was taken into custody “without incident” and was being held at the Crisp County jail.
What are people on social media saying?
The heartless attack caused folks on social media to stand in solidarity for the Asian community.
“Stop Asian Hate” started trending on social media following the attack.
Andy Kim, the congressman of New Jersey‘s 3rd congressional district, tweeted, “There was a mass shooting in America last night. Sadly that is not uncommon. Many of the victims were AAPI.
“Tragedy sits at the intersection of multiple broken parts of out society. To honor victims and save lives, we must make progress across all. #StopAsianHate.”
Flowers and a sign reading “Stop Asian Hate” are seen outside a massage parlor where four people were shot and killed[/caption]
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The Georgia Working Families Party tweeted, “Our hearts are with the victims of the shootings in Georgia, their loved ones and the AAPI community.
“We need to reckon with and do all we can to end violent racism targeting Asian Americans, violence against women, and the white supremacy & misogyny that fuels it. #StopAsianHate.”
Another supporter tweeted, “Good morning to everyone who is sick and tired of hatred and violence directed at people of color, like our Asian sisters and brothers who were murdered in Atlanta. #StopAsianHate.”
