The suspect arrested following three separate shooting incidents in Georgia that killed eight people has been charged with murder and assault, according to local authorities, AP reports.
Why it matters: Of theeight people killed in the shootings, six of the victims were Asian women, and advocacy groups including Stop AAPI Hate have denounced the lethal incident as the latest in a spree of increased violence targeting Asian Americans since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Another person was injured.
What they're saying: Officials are still investigating whether the shootings were a hate crime, per AP.
- Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds said officers interviewed the suspect on Tuesday and that he "made indicators that he has some issues, potentially sexual addiction, and may have frequented some of these places in the past."