A Year After the Atlanta Spa Shootings

One year ago today, a shooting spree occurred at three spas in Atlanta, Georgia that killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women, and wounded one other individual. These tragic killings signified a longstanding history of discrimination and xenophobia against individuals of Asian descent.

Despite this clear target against Asian women, not much has changed in the country one whole year later, according to advocates, survivors of the violence, and their family members. The gunman in the attacks has not been tried in a state or federal court for a hate crime, anti-Asian racism is continuously being reported, and significant bias and stereotypes against the Asian American community still linger.

Attacks against Asian American have only continued to rise since the COVID-19 pandemic which villainized all Asians and Asian Americans worldwide as the blame for the virus loomed over their heads. These continuous violent assaults and harassments have left them afraid and physically hurt.

One of them is Hoa Nguyen, a 68-year-old grandmother in Brooklyn who was punched in the face by a stranger while on her way to the market.

She states that she “turned [her] head to the right and he punched [her] two more times behind [her] ear on the left side” which represents such vicious intent even towards an elderly woman who he knew nothing about.

Almost 57% of hate incidents reported to Stop AAPI Hate occurred in 2021, and even half took place in public spaces. Much of the hate has also been directed at women, who reported 62% of recorded incidents. The spa shootings evidently highlighted the existing misogyny, as have recent killings and assaults that continue to keep women fearing for their lives.

There must be more effort and advocacy put forth to stop these heinous and unjust acts against innocent individuals in our communities. The pandemic heightened this bias and discrimination which ultimately needs to be combatted now more than ever before.

This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA Law Group specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.