ATLANTA — It's been three years since a gunman walked into three metro Atlanta spas, took the lives of eight people and changed the lives of many others forever. March 16 marks a somber time in metro Atlanta as communities mourn the lives lost and the change made in their memories.
The accused shooter has pleaded guilty to his charges in Cherokee County. Three years later, his Fulton County case is still moving through the criminal justice system. Six out of the eight victims were of Asian descent, sparking conversation nationally about the possibility of the shootings being a hate crime due to the case's racial undertones.
In the years since the shootings, the tragic event remains fresh on the minds of members and supporters of the Asian community. They, along with several lawmakers, have vowed to make change.
Here's what to know about the case, the changes being made, and how communities continue to heal.
Where Atlanta spa shootings case stands now
In 2021, Robert Aaron Long pleaded guilty to his crimes in Cherokee County to avoid the death penalty there. He was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders of Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun-Gonzalez, and Paul Andre Michels. A fifth person, Elcias Hernandez-Ortiz, was shot in the face by the gunman but survived.
Long still faces prosecution in Fulton County, where he has pleaded not guilty in hopes of trying to reach a plea deal that would take the death penalty off of the table. District Attorney Fani Willis previously said she would pursue the death penalty because the case "warrants the ultimate penalty." She also mentioned possible hate crime charges based on the race and sex of the four people killed in the county.
Three years after the killings, the case has slowly progressed after several delays in Fulton County.
Most recently, presiding Judge Ural Glanville ruled that media will be able to continue broadcasting pretrial proceedings after a motion was filed by Long's defense attorneys claiming that news coverage was "prejudicially affecting the jury pool."
Stop AAPI Hate: then and now
Community members and organizations are still continuing to find a path forward after the spa shootings, even now. There were 140 reports of hate against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States between 2020 and 2022, according to data from Stop AAPI Hate. Stop AAPI Hate was founded during the early stages of the 2020 pandemic when organizers recognized the need to document the rise of anti-Asian racism. As the nation’s largest reporting center tracking anti-AAPI hate acts, the coalition publishes data and research findings of reports of racism and bigotry against the community to have a tangible database to paint a picture of the need for change.
Cultural competency training
In the aftermath of the shootings, Rep. Marvin Lim (D, District 98) has created a cultural competence course for law enforcement officials to better interact with members of the Asian community. The course launched in 2023, and according to data from the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC), roughly 2,600 officers across Georgia have enrolled to date.
AAPI lawmakers push for stricter gun laws in the wake of the shootings
Georgia leaders are still making efforts to reduce violent crimes three years after the deadly shootings that claimed the lives of eight people. Lawmakers in the Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus say Long was able to acquire the rifle too easily and are introducing legislation to strengthen gun laws in the state.
Healing
Three years after the tragedy, the community is still looking for ways to heal from the fallout of the metro Atlanta spa shootings that targeted mostly Asian women. Advocates, family, and friends of the Asian community are observing the third anniversary as a time to grieve the victims and reflect on the loss that was experienced -- and the push to make sure something like it never happens again. A memorial was held at the Korean Community Center in Norcross on March 16, to honor culture and the victims.
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These are the names of the eight victims of the Atlanta spa shootings:
- 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
Learn more about the victims here.
Atlanta spa shooting victims
Atlanta spa shootings playlist