ATLANTA — It’s been five years since a gunman entered a series of spas in Fulton and Cherokee counties and murdered eight people.
Six of the victims were Asian women.
Channel 2’s Richard Elliot was at the Georgia State Capitol, where lawmakers paused to remember the day and honor the victims.
Robert Aaron Long is accused of shooting several victims, leaving them dead, at a Cherokee County spa, then going to another shooting at two spas in northeast Atlanta.
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Hours later, Georgia State Troopers arrested Long.
In Cherokee County, a jury convicted him of murder. He’s still awaiting a trial in Fulton County.
“Every year around 3-16, the grief returns like it happened yesterday,” advocate Cam Ashling said.
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On Monday, lawmakers gathered to remember the victims killed on March 16, 2021.
The murders in metro Atlanta happened as the United States saw an upsurge in violence and anger aimed at the Asian population.
But Johns Creek Democrat Rep. Michelle Au said the victims’ stories are an American story and should be remembered.
“Those we lost were people who were deeply loved and needed and whose stories embodied a vibrant picture of the America those of us who grew up in the immigrant community know well,” Au said.
Dunwoody Democrat Rep. Long Tran said the murders marked a turning point in the Asian community.
It was “A tragedy that changed the course of our AAPI community, not just politically but in our community advocacy and how we approach serving and protecting our community,” Tran said.
Au says they won’t forget those who died as they wait for Long’s second trial to begin in Fulton County.
“On this five year anniversary, many will remember how they died,” Au said. “But they should be remembered for how they lived.”
While Cherokee County jurors convicted Long of murder, he faces additional charges for committing a hate crime in Fulton County court.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
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