CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts released a statement Thursday afternoon about the shooting rampage at three spas in Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday that left eight dead and one wounded.
Seven of the victims killed were women, and six of these women were Asian-Americans. A 21-year-old was arrested and charged with eight counts of murder, according to reporting from Fox 5 Atlanta.
Here is the statement from Mayor Pitts:
“I join with the good people of Clarksville, especially our Asian-American neighbors, to grieve for the eight lives lost in and around Atlanta on Tuesday night in another senseless mass shooting.
“While details about the shooter’s motive continue to unfold, we cannot ignore that six of the victims were Asian-American women and that this horrible act comes amid a significant increase in hateful rhetoric directed at Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Hate and bigotry have no place in our community, or in our country. We all have a responsibility to condemn racist acts and make clear that this is not who we are as Clarksvillians, or as Americans.
“I pledge to do all I can to ensure that Clarksville is a place where all people are welcomed and our diversity is celebrated. We stand in solidarity with members of our Asian-American community and any who face discrimination, fear and intimidation. We must do everything in our power to make safety for all a priority and to stand against all forms of injustice.”