The Fulton County Medical Officer’s Office on Friday released the names of four women killed in a shooting at two spas in Atlanta.
They were identified as Soon C. Park, 74; Hyun J. Grant, 51; Suncha Kim, 69; and Yong A. Yue, 63.
Three of the women died from a gunshot wound to the head and one to gunshot wounds to the chest, the medical examiner said. All four deaths were ruled as murders.
The victims were among eight people killed when a gunman opened fire on two spas in Atlanta and one north of the city in Cherokee County on Tuesday.
The Sheriff of Cherokee County identified the victims as Delaina Ashley Yaun (33); Paul Andre Michels (54); Xiaojie Tan, 49; and Daoyou Feng (44). A man, Elcias Hernandez-Ortiz, has been injured.
Six of the people killed were of Asian descent, officials said. The deaths occurred the same day when the Reporting Forum Stop AAPI Hate released a report saying that reports of anti-Asian hate incidents had risen significantly. The report says an excessive number of women were involved.
In a tweet The organization said Tuesday the shooting was an “unspeakable tragedy.”
A 21-year-old white man from Woodstock was arrested shortly after the shooting. He is charged with eight counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault.
Authorities said the suspect’s remarks indicated he may have had a sexual addiction and that he viewed the spas as a temptation he should eliminate.
However, investigators said they did not rule out the possibility of a racial motive.
It was unclear whether the businesses had any ties to sex work. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said this week that the spas’ legally have businesses that have not yet been on our radar ‘and that’ we are not about to blame the victim, and the victim who is here be damaged ‘.
“A crime against any community is a crime against all of us,” she said.
