My go-to source for soberly aggregating info about events being excitedly reported on in the news is Wikipedia. It comes through again here. This summary seems rather sane:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Atlanta_spa_shootings#MotiveNo motive has yet been established. However, several commentators noted the ethnicity of the victims, six of eight of which are women of Asian descent, amidst an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, or have characterized it as a hate crime. According to The Chosun Ilbo, an eyewitness to the Gold Spa shooting told local Korean media that the shooter said that he would kill all Asians. Captain Jay Baker of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department has dismissed reports that Long's actions were racially motivated, instead stating that Long simply had a "really bad day".
The suspect has claimed that his actions were not racially motivated, but instead related to his sexual addiction. According to the Cherokee County Sheriff, the suspect wanted to "eliminate the temptation" by targeting massage parlors. Long allegedly spent time in rehabilitation for sexual addiction in 2020, and felt "tortured" by his addiction to sex as he was deeply religious, according to a roommate who lived with him during his stay at a transition house after exiting rehabilitation. According to a police source, Long was recently kicked out of the house by his family due to his sexual addiction.
The suspect was on his way to Florida when he was apprehended. According to officials from the Cherokee County Sheriff's office, Long was traveling to Florida with the intention to attack "some type of porn industry." The same officials said they believe Long may in the past have patronized one or more of the spas he targeted.
A terrorism expert has compared the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings to the 2020 Toronto machete attack by an incel male ideologue.
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