NYPD Sent To Asian-American Communities After Atlanta Shooting

NEW YORK, NY — The NYPD will send its officers to Asian communities throughout New York City in the wake of shootings at Atlanta massage parlors that left eight dead, six of whom were of Asian descent.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday that officers from the NYPD's Counterterrorism unit are being deployed throughout the city, including areas with prominent Asian communities.

The Tuesday night shooting in Atlanta has no known connection to New York City, but the officers will deploy their resources out of an abundance of caution, according to the NYPD.

"The NYPD is assessing the pattern of what we saw in Atlanta and looking for anything that might tell us additional information we need to know here," de Blasio said. "I want to assure all New Yorkers, particularly Asian-American New Yorkers — we are here for you."

Officials had captured the suspected gunman as of Wednesday, according to reports. They said the suspect, Robert Aaron Long, told police the attack was not racially motivated and that he potentially had a “sexual addiction."

Authorities are still investigating whether the deaths were hate crimes. Six of those shot were Asian and seven were women, according to the Associated Press.

The shooting comes amid a spike in anti-Asian hate crimes in the last year. According to the group Stop AAPI Hate, there have been 3,292 reported incidents between March 1 and to Feb. 28.

In New York City, there were a record number of anti-Asian attacks last year, accounting for 10 percent of all hate crimes investigated by the NYPD in 2020.