National Democrats rushed to Twitter on Wednesday to blame “White supremacy” and “racism” for the mass shooting spree that targeted massage parlors in the Atlanta area, but police officials say the suspect claimed the deadly shootings were not racially motivated.
Robert Aaron Long, the 21-year-old who authorities said took “responsibility” for the string of shootings Tuesday that left eight people dead, reportedly confessed that he has a “sex addiction” and that he viewed the massage parlors as “an outlet for him” where he could be tempted.
“He apparently has an issue, what he considers a sex addiction, and sees these locations as … a temptation for him that he wanted to eliminate,” said Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jay Baker during a press conference.
Long’s reported motive for the shooting appears to contradict several national Democrats in Congress, including Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, who quickly blamed “white supremacy” while the investigation was still ongoing. Two of the fatalities were White, while the other six victims were Asian Americans, according to police.
“Imagine if he was Black, Muslim or Latino,” Tlaib tweeted. “This is exposing white supremacy in all forms.”
