Atlanta shooter sentenced to life without parole

The shooter who killed eight people in Atlanta area has been sentenced to life without parole. The shooter is given four sentences for the killings of four people, including two Asian women, one white man and one white woman. He will receive separate sentences for the killings of four Korean-American women.

According to the Associated Press on Tuesday Robert Aaron Long, 22, pleaded guilty to murder charges at Cherokee County Superior Court. In March. Long shot eight people to death at a massage parlor in Cherokee County and two spas in Fulton County in Georgia. The trial on Tuesday was for the shooting of four people in Cherokee County. Cherokee County Superior Court Chief Judge Ellen McElyea handed him life sentence without parole for killing four people and an additional 35 years for other charges.

There were strong calls from the public that Long should also be charged with a hate crime charge for targeting Asian women but the prosecution did not pursue a hate crime charge against him. “This was not any kind of hate crime,” District Attorney Shannon Wallace said, adding investigators did not find evidence for a hate crime.

At the trial, Long reiterated his claim that his crimes were motivated by a sex addiction. When asked about the motive of the crimes, Long said he wanted to stop visiting massage parlors and punish others. He reportedly did not express regret for his crimes or offer an apology to the victims.


Jae-Dong Yu jarrett@donga.com