Atlanta shooting: Police charge 21-year-old suspect with 4 counts of murder

The Atlanta Police Department's Homicide Unit on Wednesday (local time) charged Robert Long, the 21-year-old man accused of killing several people at massage parlours in Georgia, with four counts of murder.

These are in addition to earlier charges from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office that include "four counts of Murder and one count of Aggravated Assault and has no bond," CNN reported citing a statement by CCSO.

Eight people - including six Asian women - were shot dead at three metro Atlanta spas on Tuesday evening.

Long is currently detained at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center, facing a total of eight counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault in the incidents.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has asked domestic policy advisor Susan Rice and White House public engagement director and senior adviser Cedric Richmond to conduct community listening sessions in the wake of the Atlanta-area shooting, reported CNN.

"He did sign an executive order, and actually there are ongoing processes, including from the Department of Justice, where they're doing listening sessions now, HHS will start those soon," Psaki said at a briefing on Wednesday.

"There's also an ongoing review of domestic violent extremism that is wide-ranging, that is a 100-day review that will take a look at a range of issues and that will also be a longer-term, strategic, comprehensive look at how that impacts our society and this will certainly be a part of that," she added.

First Lady Jill Biden also expressed grief for the families of the shooting victims in Atlanta.

"I want to start by saying something directly to the families of the shooting victims in Atlanta last night. My heart is with you. And I hope that all Americans will join me in praying for everyone touched by this senseless tragedy," she said.

Vice President Kamala Harris also offered support and solidarity with the Asian American community, saying the issue of violence should never be tolerated.

"I do want to say to our Asian American community that we stand with you and understand how this has frightened and shocked and outraged all people. But knowing the increasing level of hate crime against our Asian American brothers and sisters, we also want to speak out in solidarity with them and acknowledge that none of us should ever be silent in the face of any form of hate," Harris said.

Meanwhile, an Asian American justice group has blamed white supremacy and racism as the cause for the Tuesday shooting and is calling for communities of color to band together to condemn racist violence, CNN reported.

( With inputs from ANI )