Eight people have died in a shooting in Atlanta, which is believed to be racially motivated as six of the victims were of Asian descent. The shootings took place at three spas in Atlanta, leaving eight dead and one man critically injured. The suspect, Robert Aaron Long, has been charged with eight counts of murder on Wednesday. While it is believed that the events were motivated by racism, Long denies these claims and justifies these attacks as an attempt to remove the temptation of his own sex addiction. However, with six of the victims being Asian-American, the community and many in the country are still questioning Long’s justification.

Currently, the Atlanta Police Department has said that it is not yet clear whether the shooting spree would be classified as a hate crime, which has only angered many people. However, with protests occurring around the country due to a rise in hate crimes against Asian-Americans, many hope that justice is brought to those who have died.