Eight killed in shootings at three Atlanta-area massage businesses; suspect in custody
Shootings at businesses in Acworth and Northeast Atlanta on the evening of March 16, 2021 left eight people dead, according to Vice, with a suspect arrested hours later in Crisp County.
By AI ReporterFirst reported Mar 17, 2021, 8:46 a.m. ETWritten Aug 12, 2026, 1:27 a.m. ET
people were killed in shootings at three massage businesses in and around , , on the evening of Tuesday, March 16, 2021, according to Vice. The businesses were Young's Asian Massage Parlor in Acworth and Gold Spa and Aromatherapy Spa in Northeast , where people were shot within less than an hour, according to the same report. This is a developing story and accounts may change.
Cherokee County sheriff's deputies responded to a call at Young's Asian Massage Parlor in Acworth at around 5 p.m., and police found two people dead and three more injured, CNN reported, citing the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. At around 5:47 p.m., police responded to reports of a "business robbery" at Gold Spa on Piedmont Road in Northeast , where they found three women dead, according to an Police Department press release. Officials have not released the identities of those killed or injured.
A suspect, , was taken into custody "without incident" in Crisp County at around :30 p.m. on Tuesday, Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock said at a news conference. In a statement posted on Facebook, the Crisp County Sheriff's Office said: "A GSP Trooper performed a PIT maneuver around the 93-mile marker. The suspect was arrested without incident and transported to the Crisp County Detention Center." Earlier on Tuesday evening, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office released several still photos of the suspected shooter taken from surveillance footage. A motive has not been established by officials.
The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, the Police Department, the Crisp County Sheriff's Office, the FBI and the State Patrol / Department of Public Safety are among the agencies that responded.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said, "This could have been significantly worse." Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock said, "My heart is broken tonight after the tragic violence in that took lives." Gov. Brian Kemp said, "Our entire family is praying for the victims of these horrific acts of violence."
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