Less than a day after being eight people shot dead at spas in Atlanta – 6 of them Asian women – a Georgia official told reporters that the mass shooting suspect was having a “bad day.” Now, that official is looking at Facebook posts that appear to be his, promoting a T-shirt with racist language about China and COVID-19.
“He was pretty fed up and at the end of his rope. Yesterday was a really bad day for him and this is what he did,” said Jay Baker, Cherokee County Communications Director, during a newsletter. explaining the alleged motives of 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, who is currently in custody for the Tuesday night shooting.
Officials said the shootings “did not appear” to be racially motivated, amidst growing national concern about violence against Asian-American and Pacific islanders. A study published last week revealed that hate crimes against Asian Americans have increased by about 150% in 2020, disproportionately affecting women.
However, officials said the suspect has problems with sex addiction, targeting the spas to “take away that temptation.”
“We’ve all been through bad days. But we don’t go to three Asian companies and shoot Asian workers,” said California Representative Ted Lieu tweeted after the press conference. He urged the FBI to open an independent investigation.
Hours after the briefing, Internet sleuths discovered Baker’s apparent April 2020 Facebook posts that appear to show him buying and promoting a t-shirt called COVID-19, an “IMPORTED VIRUS OF CHY-NA.”
“Love my shirt! Buy yours while they last,” reads a message. The shirt seems to echo sooner President Donald Trump’s characterization of COVID-19 as the “China Virus” and “Kung Flu.”
At the time of the reports, Asian Americans were already afraid of one increase in crime against the community for the racist rhetoric surrounding the pandemic.
According to The Associated Press, the account for “Jay Baker,” which was removed Wednesday night, contained several photos of Cherokee County Sheriff Captain Jay Baker dating back months, including one in which he is in uniform outside the sheriff’s office.
The reports emerged, as many in the Asian-American community expressed concern that the shooting is not being treated as a hate crime. Numerous members of the community have said the department does not appear to be able to conduct a fair investigation.
“To see this message is both troubling and scandalous. It speaks to the structural racism we all face,” said Vincent Pan, co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, a civil rights organization dedicated to promoting anti-Asian hatred. to pack. crimes, AP told. “Coupled with the comments coming out of the press conference, it doesn’t give members of the community confidence that our experiences and the pain and suffering we feel are being taken seriously, at least by this particular person.”
Baker and the sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for comment.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the first South Asian American woman to be elected to office, said she and President Biden “mourn the loss” after the mass shooting.
“I want to say to our Asian-American community that we stand behind you and understand how this has scared, shocked and outraged all people,” she said.
Just four days before the attacks, Mr. Biden mentioned the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans in his first primetime address to the nation.
“Too many times we’ve turned against each other,” he said. “Cruel hate crimes against Asian Americans who have been attacked, harassed, accused and scapegoated.”
“It’s wrong, it’s un-American, and it has to stop.”