Atlanta shooting suspect entered spa an hour before gunfire erupted: report

The man suspected of killing eight people in a shooting rampage at Atlanta-area spas entered the first site he attacked about an hour before shots were fired. 

According to surveillance video obtained by The Washington Post, Robert Aaron Long spent roughly an hour outside Young’s Asian Massage before entering the spa. After entering, one hour and 12 minutes passed before he is seen getting into his car. Police arrived at the spa minutes later.

The time of his departure from Young’s Asian Massage was four minutes before Cherokee County law enforcement received their first reports of shots fired.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill and declined to confirm the information to The Post.

The surveillance video provides a glimpse into the sequence of the shooting rampage, the details of which remain scarce.

It is known that of the eight people killed, six were Asian women, leading to calls for law enforcement to label the shooting a hate crime.

Long has denied that racial animus played a role in the shooting, admitting he attacked the three sites because they were a “temptation” to his alleged sex “addiction.” 

It is also known that Long purchased a handgun the day of the shooting.