Atlanta shooting: Church removes suspected members shooting

Atlanta shooting: Church removes suspected members shooting

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Long, 21, was arrested Tuesday night in connection with the deaths of eight people in three spas in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Six of the victims were Asian women. Long told police that he believed he had an addiction to sex and that he saw the spas as “a temptation … that he wanted to eliminate,” said Cherokee County Sheriff’s office captain Jay Baker on Wednesday.

It is not clear whether any of the three companies offered sexual services in addition to massages. But the authorities gave no indication that the three companies were operating illegally.

The First Crabapple Baptist Church in Milton, a suburban city located north of Atlanta, said in a statement that Long and his family had been members of his congregation for many years. The church saw Long grow and accepted him as a member of the church “when he made his own profession of faith in Jesus Christ”.

“These unthinkable and egregious murders directly contradict their own confession of faith in Jesus and the gospel,” the statement said.

The statement called the shootings an “extreme and perverse act” that is “antithetical to everything we believe and teach as a church”.

The church condemned Long’s actions “in the strongest possible terms” and said it deeply regretted “the fear and pain that Asian Americans are experiencing as a result of Aaron’s unforgivable actions”.

“No blame can be placed on the victims,” ​​the statement said. “Only he is responsible for his evil actions and desires.”

As a result of the shootings, the church posted its full statement on its website, along with frequently asked questions related to the shooting, Long’s relationship with the church and the church’s teachings. The church has limited public access on its website to the church’s statement and teachings, and has withdrawn its social media accounts.

In its statement, the Church said it withdrew its website and social media accounts “out of caution.”

“We feared for the safety of our church’s community members,” said the church’s website.

A trip to the spa that ended in death. These are some of the victims of the Atlanta area shootings

Sunday’s service began with a member reciting the names of the victims whose lives were taken in an “inexcusable act of murder,” said associate pastor Luke Folsom, according to a recording provided by the church.

“We are in mourning for this tragic loss of life throughout the week and will continue to mourn for the victims and their families,” said Folsom. “So this is what we are going to do today.”

Long is being held without bail in Cherokee County, where he faces four counts of intentional homicide, one of attempted murder, one of aggravated assault, and five of using a firearm when committing a crime.

He was charged with four counts of murder in connection with the two shootings at a spa in Atlanta, according to Atlanta police.

CNN’s Dakin Andone, Natasha Chen, Matt Gannon, Chuck Johnston, Kay Jones and Christina Maxouris contributed to this report.

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