ATLANTA — Members of Georgia's AAPI Caucus will host a series of events memorializing the two years since the Atlanta area spa shootings.
Rep. Michelle Au (D-Johns Creek) along with the Georgia Legislative Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus released a schedule of community events Wednesday, adding that the latter half of the week will honor the victims whose lives were taken in the tragedy.
March 16 will mark two years since eight people, including six Asian women, were murdered.
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"Since then, a broad coalition of AAPI people and allies have continued to speak out against anti-Asian discrimination and violence, work for increased gun safety laws and increase AAPI representation at all levels of government," the caucus said in a news release.
List of events below:
- Press Conference for Atlanta Spa Shootings Memorial
Thursday, March 16, 2023, from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
South Wing Steps of the Georgia State Capitol - Atlanta Justice Rally
Thursday, March 16, 2023, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta - PBS Documentary Screening and Reception for “Rising Against Asian Hate: One Day in March”
Friday, March 17, 2023, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Regal Cinemas Medlock Crossing in Johns Creek.
In March 2021, a gunman walked into three different spas in metro Atlanta and fired the fatal shots. Robert Aaron Long admitted to being the shooter. After shooting five people at Young Asian Massage in Cherokee County, investigators said he drove about 30 miles south to Atlanta, where he shot three women at Gold Spa and one woman across the street at Aromatherapy Spa.
Long plead not guilty in the Fulton County case. The district attorney has previously said she intends to seek the death penalty. He pleaded guilty in his Cherokee County case and was sentenced to life without parole.
As Long's actions move through the criminal justice system, the local community asks that they take some time this week to honor the families who were ripped apart by his actions and to remember the victims whose lives were cut short.
These are the names of the eight victims:
- Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33
- Paul Andre Michels, 54
- Xiaojie Tan, 49
- Daoyou Feng, 44
- Soon Chung Park, 74
- Hyun JungGrant, 51
- Sun Cha Kim, 69
- Yong Ae Yue, 63
