Authorities investigate Georgia shooting motive

The man accused of killing eight people, mostly women of Asian descent, said the shooting was not racially motivated. Robert Aaron Long, 21, claimed to have a “sex addiction” and attacked the three Atlanta-area massage parlors as a source of temptation, police said. Officials on Wednesday charged Long with four counts of murder and one count of assault.

What was his connection to the women? It is unclear whether Long previously visited the specific locations or only similar businesses. He was planning to carry out a similar plot at “some type of porn industry” site in Florida, authorities said. The FBI is supporting Atlanta and Cherokee County’s investigation. Nico Staughan, 21, said he went to school with Long and described him as a “super Christian” who brought a Bible every day. The Washington Post reported Long was active in a Southern Baptist church youth group throughout his high school years.

Dig deeper: Read Emily Belz’s report on harassment and assaults against Asian Americans in New York.