Asian-Americans seek protection after attack

Shootings in the Atlanta area that left eight people dead, including six Asian women, have put Asian communities across the U.S. on high alert and prompted law enforcement officials to increase patrols.

The gunman who shot and killed eight people at massage parlors in Georgia was charged with several counts of murder. He told the police that he had a s***** addiction and had carried out the shootings to eliminate his “temptation,” the authorities said on Wednesday. The police captured the 21-year-old as he was on his way to Florida, where he may have planned more violence.

Although the police are still investigating whether the shootings were driven by racial animus, nearly 3,800 hate incidents targeting Asian-Americans have been reported in the U.S. since the pandemic began, according to a report from the group Stop AAPI Hate.

Asking for help: Asian-Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area are calling for more police patrols after a string of attacks there. Older residents in particular have been the targets of robberies, verbal attacks related to the coronavirus pandemic, and assaults. “Our seniors are afraid to walk their own streets,” said Carl Chan, the president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.
The New York Times