President Joe Biden has ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims of the recent shootings in the Atlanta area.
“As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on March 16, 2021, … I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff,” the official statement reads.
According to the proclamation released by the White House Thursday morning, flags will be lowered until sunset on March 22.
A man is accused of killing eight people at three spas in the Atlanta area on March 16. Six of the victims are Asian women.
The suspect, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, a white man, is charged with eight counts of murder at this time.
Attacks on Asian Americans in this country have been on the rise during the coronavirus pandemic. Many major cities have seen increasing numbers of assaults and reports of violence on the Asian community in the last year.
President Biden tweeted his condolences, and called out the growing number of attacks on Asian Americans.
“Jill and I are keeping everyone impacted by the shootings in Atlanta in our prayers. We don’t yet know the motive, but what we do know is that the Asian-American community is feeling enormous pain tonight. The recent attacks against the community are un-American. They must stop.”
Jill and I are keeping everyone impacted by the shootings in Atlanta in our prayers. We don’t yet know the motive, but what we do know is that the Asian-American community is feeling enormous pain tonight. The recent attacks against the community are un-American. They must stop.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 18, 2021
