our victims -- in atlanta, they were all asian. in atlanta, they were two white and two asians. we will have to do forensics on the firearm. >> it was the only weapon you found? >> yes. no other weapons were located in the weapon. >> do you have a sense of how many times he shot, how much ammunition? >> i don't have that information. >> is there any reason to believe other similar businesses should be concerned today? is there still a threat? >> he was acting alone in my opinion. there's no indication anyone was working with him. we are confident that's not a problem. >> he said he was on his way to florida. you believe he would have engaged in additional acts of violence? >> he made a comment to that effect, that he was headed to florida and he was going to do similar acts in that state. >> the issue was he wanted to destroy what had been -- >> it sounds to me like -- these locations, he sees them as an outlet, something he shouldn't be doing, and an issue with porn and he was attempting to take out that temptation. >> he visited both of those indications? >> i'm unaware if he

again, so this is metro atlanta, cherokee county, and atlanta proper. now, officials have not said whether they think these shootings at three places were connected, but police did note tonight that the shootings took place at three spas, three massage parlors, where the majority of the employees are asian. police say all four victims who were shot and killed at the second and third locations appeared to be asian women. now, police say they have not yet identified a suspect or a motive. but again, nbc's affiliate in atlanta is confirming just within the past few minutes that a suspect is in custody in connection with these crimes. it is important, of course, to note here as context that this news, this breaking news comes tonight at a time when hate crimes targeting asian-americans has skyrocketed, not just in the last year, but specifically within the past few weeks. that can't be far from our minds as we absorb this developing story out of atlanta. joining us now on the phone is nbc news's atlanta-based correspondent blayne alexander who is following

the president just a short time ago on the horrific shootings in atlanta. and what we've learned tonight. president biden and vice president harris meeting with asian-american lawmakers and community leaders late today. president biden and the vice president on the tragedy, the pain, and vowing to work to make our asian-american communities safer. and tonight, the newly obtained surveillance of the alleged gunman at the scene of the first attack. all eight victims have been identified, six of asian descent. the devoted mother of two, the army veteran, the spa owner killed just two days shy of her 50th birthday. steve osunsami in atlanta tonight with late reporting on what we now know. >>> the other major news this friday night, the major change for schools across the country. the cdc issuing new guidelines tonight, recommending three feet of social distancing for school children with masks instead of six feet. could this help get children back to school sooner? some teaches unions pushing back tonight, the cdc director say, we have done the science. >>> pre

unfolding in the atlanta area on tuesday night. the gunman opening fire at one bsiness, driving 30 miles to target victims at two other businesses, including here at gold spa behind me. authorities say he had been to these establishments before, and for police it was a race against time to catch the shooter before he could kill again. on a damp and dreary afternoon, terror and horror seizes the atlanta area as a lone assailant launches an hours long shooting rampage against multiple asian-owned spas. >> some guy came in and shoot the gun, so everybody heard the gunshots. >> we do not have a witness who's alive right now. >> 20-year-old robert aaron long arrives at the spa. he allegedly sits in his car for almost an hour. around 4:50 he enters young's and opens fire. police arrive within minutes finding a massacre. >> sounded like -- >> reporter: four are dead. xiaojie tan went by emily. she was a licensed therapist. she would have turned 50 yesterday. delaina young leaves behind a son and a baby. she was getting a couples massage w

you can see the outpouring from those in live in atlanta. they are shocked by this crime and to show you where the crime happened. three women were shot here and the suspect ran across the street over to the other location over here so so many people have been showing up to put flowers in both locations because they cannot believe this happened in the city in this metro area. >> so hard to believe. it's so heartbreaking. ryan young on the scene for us. thank you very much. joining us now the mayor of atlanta keisha lance bottoms. i know these are incredibly busy times but thank you so much for spending a few moments with us. we know the suspect has now been charged as you just heard as you well know with eight counts of murder. what's the latest you can tell us, mayor, on this investigation and the possible motive behind these shootings. >> well, all we know is what this confessed killer has said as it relates to what his motives are. we are grateful to law enforcement that they were able to apprehend him so quickly. he was on his way to flo

massacres at three separate atlanta area spas. moments ago, officials there wrapping up a news conference. they said it's too early to say whether this is a hate crime. they said the suspect may have frequented these spas. the mayor said they believe the suspect was on his way to florida when they caught him. here is what we know at this hour. eight people were killed, six of the victims were asian women. the fbi is now involved. today, police departments across this country are taking steps to make sure the asian communities remain safe. >>> it's a busy hour on the hill. the government's top doctors are making a house call. they are testifying as we speak. in a few moments, the cdc director's stark warning about one of the covid variants ripping across the country. >>> right now, the secretary of homeland security is testifying before a house committee. his message so far about the increase of migrants crossing our southern border. all of that coming up. we start with that breaking news there in atlanta. police say the suspect, 2

cherokee will have to talk to atlanta. will have to talk to charity, and now you have the chris county component. we believe georgia state patrol were able to stop the man on the throughway, maybe used the pit maneuver. going through eyewitness accounts to see if the same vehicle appeared in both locations. this shooting here, you can see where this shooting happened and directly across the street is another shooting scene. this is a fast-moving investigation, because this has been going on all afternoon and police are trying to gatter the detailed pieces. in the last half hour or so, police have been able to make an arrest of a woodstock man. they did put a picture out. this was the man they were looking for. be interesting to see if they can connect the dots now that they have him in custody. >> chris county, how far is that from cherokee or the bucket area? >> this shooting happened maybe an hour and a half ago. i think it's about 50 miles away from here, if i'm correct. not 100% sure. we just got that information as we

and since atlanta, we've had 300 people sign up in a week.y grandparents were actually born in the u.s. that's why it's so hard for me to see elderly egg ly asianslc[ harmed. it doesn't matter if your family came here ten generations ago or one generation ago, we're all fighting for the samedream. >> underlying foundation of everything we do is empathy and compassion. the whole vision is to spur everyone to step up and step out and look out for fellow new yorkers. we have ethnic speakers on all our team. for someone like myself who can't speak the language, i look at body language, smiles, they know what we're doing. it's a geat felling. feeling. we hope to live in a world devoid of racism. a world where not one human is treated as less. we need everyone involved. we need all hand on deck. >> i have a lot of hope to create a better place. please, we need you. >> big or small, be the change you want to see. sometimes it's hard when there seems to be so much hate around us. but in the struggle grows the seed of strength. strength in ourselves,

first, let's go to cnn's amara walker in atlanta. atlanta police say their investigation is now far from over. what's the latest? >> reporter: first off, not too long ago this crowd behind me near one of the crime scenes gathered to condemn anti-asian hate. so that rally is underway right now, but we did just hear from the atlanta police department. we learned that the suspect had frequented these two spas before, he was quite familiar with them. he had purchased the gun the day of the shooting. atlanta police also emphasizing the fact that their investigation is slightly different from that of the cherokee county sheriff's department saying there are four asian women killed at these two spas in atlanta. they say they're looking at everything to determine whether or not this was racially motivated. >> our investigation is looking at everything, so nothing is off the table. >> reporter: as investigators take a hard look into what motivated the suspect to go on the mass shooting spree that left eight dead, including six asian women. th

she's there in atlanta. on top of the visit to the cdc, in a few hours president biden and vice president harris will speak to asian american leaders in georgia. jeff bennett, what more do we know about what the president and vice president's message is going to be to them? >> reporter: i'm told that they want to convey their support. this will be the first joint trip by the president and vice president. this visit had been scheduled as part of their so-called help is here tour to tout their $2 trillion -- nearly $2 trillion covid relief package. this trip was already on the books. it was understandably -- the focus was transformed in light of the shootings here in atlanta earlier this week. the bulk of the trip now, both the president and vice president will spend at emory university, meeting in private with asian american community advocates and elected leaders. they will hear them out. beyond that, the president will deliver remarks at around 4:00 p.m. eastern, in the 4:00 hour. i'm told the president and

he used to lead the homicide unit here in atlanta. the tone was quite different today than it was yesterday. there's been fallout from that news conference that happened yesterday. captain jay baker, speaking yesterday. a lot of blowback in term of the suspect having a bad day. we have learned within the last hour from the cherokee county sheriff's department that he has been removed as being spokesperson on this investigation due to the comments and the blowback from that. you can see what's going on here. also the suspect was supposed to have a first court appearance today. his lawyer decided to waive that. more than likely, they knew they weren't going to get a bond. you can see how this investigation is progressing. one last thing, wolf. they've not released the names in any of the victims in atlanta. the reason why is they've not been able to identify all the family members involved and they want to do that next of kin notification first before moving forward. behind me, the next 20 minutes or so, there should be a candlelight vi

let's bring in kaitlan collins and jeff zeleny in atlanta. jeff, first to you. what do we know about the meeting that the president and vice president are in right now? >> reporter: we know president biden and vice president harris have been meeting for more than an hour with seven community members including five state leaders here in georgia. they're in the building behind me here on the campus of emeory univ university. it's running a bit long, but we know that president biden is going to be delivering remarks after this meeting. and percentages la, i'm told he's going to condemn more forcefully the rise of violence we've seen here in georgia and across the country directed at asian-americans in the last year during the coronavirus pandemic. president biden is also urging congress to pass the covid-19 hate crimes act. the white house is trying to draw a focus here. the question hanging over a lot of this is some of the community leaders have been telling us all week they want the president and white house to speak more forcibly that this was indeed a hate cri

jet stream jacqueline howard in atlanta.n is officially under way. the phase two-three trial is being conducted here in the u.s. and canada and the study will enroll about 6,750 children ages six months to 11 years old. the biotech company says the first children already have been vaccinated in the study. >> reporter: i'm alexandra field in new york. more states are working to make more people eligible for vaccines. ohio governor mike dewine announcing starting on friday anyone age 40 and older will qualify for a vaccine and he is announcing an even more ambitious goal for the end of the month saying that starting on march 29 anyone over the age of 16 will qualify for a vaccine. this as president joe biden has called on all states to make all adults eligible for vaccination by may 1st. >> reporter: i'm randi kaye in palm beach county, florida. here the south florida fairgrounds has been turned into a mass vaccination site. they are hoping to vaccinate about 500 people here today. they're expecting a big crowd because the gov

this was a hearing scheduled before the massacre in atlanta. the committee says the last time there was a congressional hearing focused on anti-asian hate was in 1987, as far as they can tell. what are the overarching concerns you are hearing? what's come out of this hearing? >> reporter: the concern is more than about just education and awareness. it's about action steps. that's what we are hearing from lawmakers right now as they make some of the opening statements. that's what we expect to hear based on some of the testimony that we have gotten an early look at from daniel day kim as well as john yang from aajc, of course senator tammy duckworth as well. i want to play you sound we heard from congressman steve cohen. >> congress sees you, we stand with you. we will do everything in our power to protect you. any asian hate did not begin with the covid-19 pandemic and will not end when it is over. all the pandemic did was exacerbate prejudices that have a long and ugly history in america. it's an execution for some to act on those. >> reporter

>>> tonight, the deadly and horrific shooting rampage in atlanta. eight people killed, six of the victims asian women. tonight, the gunman has now been charged with eight counts of murder, after opening fire at three spas across the atlanta area. the suspect in custody. authorities believe they halted further attacks in florida. police say the suspect's own parents identified him from surveillance images. news tonight on a possible motive, as these killings stir more fear among asian-americans. the president and vice president both weighing in tonight. >>> also tonight, as we come on the air, the extremely dangerous tornado threat across seven states. several reports of tornadoes on the ground already tonight and you'll see the images coming in. 60 million americans on alert from louisiana all the way to the east coast for potential long-track tornadoes. ginger zee live in the storm zone with the line of storms set to hit after dark tonight. and the severe threat right into tomorrow. >>> the coronavirus here in the u.s. and what are being called the

, cherokee county sheriff's office as well as the mayor of atlanta on the shootings in atlanta last nights there, at least from the police. they caution, it is still too early to definitively determine motive. they say in an interview with the suspect, he claims this was an issue of taking out places of temptation, that's how he described it. they are saying at this point, indications that it may not be racially motivated. also saying he was on his way to florida perhaps to carry out more killings. we have our josh campbell with us to help us digest this. also find it notable, josh, that they say the suspect's family was essential in helping police track them down. that becomes more important. it appears he was on his way to commit more violence. >> i think it's worth noting, jim, just an incredible job by law enforcement quickly coordinating with each other. obviously a tragedy, but we have to note just what took place. you had a suspect moving across multiple jurisdictions. you had law enforcement coordinating with each other. as you mentioned, the family, after law enforcement put out

the atlanta mass murderer purchased a 9mm handgun just hours before tuesday's massacre at the three atlanta area spas. the purchase was fully legal. we'll have more on all this as we spend the hour with celebrated pulitzer prize-winning author viet thanh nguyen. astrazeneca says its covid-19 vaccine showed 79% efficacy against symptomatic disease among participants in a large clinical trial in the united states. the vaccine was 100% effective in preventing serious illness and death. the findings pave the way for a fourth vaccine to receive emergency use authorization in the united states. the trial showed no increased risk of serious blood clotting, after more than a dozen countries this month suspended or delayed its use over such concerns. thcenters for disease control say one in six u.s. adults has now been fully vaccinated for covid-19. mississippi and alaska have opened vaccine eligibility for anyone 16 or older. floridians over 50 can get vaccinated starting today. in education news, the cdc updated its guidelines to say three feet of physical distancing is safe in elementary schools,

>> all right, steve osunsami 4r50eding us off tonight from atlanta. steve, thank you. >>> we're going to turn to the other major story unfolding tonight, what authorities are calling an extremely dangerous tornado threat across at least seven states tonight. 60 million americans in the threat toen and tonight, reports of several tornadoes already. look at some of the pictures. this giant twister, that's in alabama. far buildings ripped apart in waine county, mississippi. and take a look at the radar tonight. the current tornado watches, of course, the orange and the red there on that map, particularly dangerous. new orleans, jackson, birmingham and so many smaller towns and cities in the path of this. and of course, another real concern that this line of storms will be hitting after dark. ginger with the track and abc's victor oquendo in birmingham, alabama. >> reporter: a dangerous, potentially deadly night ahead across a huge swath of the south. the storm prediction center warning of a rare high risk threat level for long-track, intense tornadoes. >

tomorrow atlanta.are not examining the 911. tapes or surveillance video just yet because they say it's an ongoing investigation. >> president biden addressed the atlanta shootings from the oval office this morning. so too, did vice president kamala harris whose late mother is of south asian descent. paris said today, quote, none of us should be silent in the face of hate. >> i think so. a very, very trump. i make no connection this morning. motivation of one of the killer. answer from that's the investigation proceeds from the fbi and from justice department. >> speaks to a larger issue, which is the issue violence in our country and what we must do to never tolerated and to always speak out against it. >> and governor newsome tweeted the attack in georgia and the racist attacks that have been happening all across our country are boring. our hearts are with the families of all the victims of this horrific act and the entire asian american and pacific islander community. we have continuing coherage of t

you are seeing in atlanta and here in oakland. we understand that the problemce crimes. you are seeing in atlanta and here in oakland. we understand that the problem is the top to the bottom. we see the top doing it but the local community groups and people on the ground trying to bring unity, but in the local legislation level, they need to follow suit and support us in those ways. >> all right. mar margaret, daniel, amanda, thank you. much more to cover. next, we'll dive into what is fueling the rise in hate and how domestic terrorism and hate crimes overlap. later, i'll talk with two members of congress about what their role should be in addressing this alarming crisis. also, we'll devote time to sharing your stories and experiences with hate in america. and advice on how to stand up for your neighbors. are you one of the millions of americans who experience occasional bloating, gas or abdominal discomfort? taking align can help. align contains a quality probiotic to naturally help soothe digestive upsets 24/7. try align, the p

he was arrested two hours south of atlanta. what one witness had to say about hearing the shots fired and then listen to an official who believes, of course, all of those three shootings are connected. >> we heard numerous gun shots from across the street. >> really good information about his vehicle. so from what i understand, they were comparing the images of the suspect and his vehicle and tag information and all that with what they have down there. that's how we came to a conclusion he was also a suspect. >> as for the motive in all of this, officials are still investigating. they not yet released a motive in this. they are not labelling this a hate crime. but they're not yet ruling it out either. saying that they are exploring all possibilities. guys, back to you. >> all right. blayne alexander, thank you. >>> developing now in castro valley, the search for a gunman in a deadly shooting there. it happened close to an elementary school that was set to welcome back students for the first time today. it all happened about 5:1

you were listening to the deputy police chief there in atlanta. what were your initial thoughts just listening to the bits of information he was willing to relay? >> well, while it's important to acknowledge that this is still an ongoing investigation, and that evidence is being collected to show whatever the evidence shows may have to follow the evidence and to a certain extent it seems to be cleaning up previous law enforcement statements about this being a hate crime. part of the problem with the way law enforcement is less than attentive to hate crimes generally, i think, gets highlighted in the case like this where it's not just that this case needs to be treated seriously but all cases targeting asian-americans and every other community in the united states needs to be treated with the same kind of care. >> you hit on a couple points. i have a couple follow-ups. number one, i did talk to this former homicide detective from atlanta yesterday and his suggestion, just as the question is about the motive for the suspect, you know, saying that pe

the breaking news out of atlanta.shootings with four additional counts of murder. so in total here, he now faces eight murder charges and one aggravated assault charge for the sole survivor of the attack in cherokee county georgia. a little extra grace period for us this year to get the tax returns filed. an irs official tells cnn the deadline will be changed to mid-may instead of april 15th. lawmakers suggested the delay to allow filers more time to navigate tax situations that have become complicated by the pandemic. last year the filing deadline was moved to july 15th. one caveat. even though the irs is extending its deadline, that doesn't mean individual states will do so, so just make sure you check those state deadlines. >>> and an update here on major biden, yes, the president's dog who was involved in that recent biting incident with the secret service agent. george stephanopoulos asking the tough questions. >> is major out of the doghouse? >> the answer is yes. major was a rescue pup. major did not bite someo

the metro atlanta area is just trying to figure out what happened here. we do believe there will be a news conference some time this morning to sort of explain what police are thinking in terms of the motive of this case but the shootings really shut down much of the road here. it has so many people asking why. a shooting rampage at three spas in the atlanta metro area tuesday, leaving eight people dead and one wounded. police apprehending one suspect, 21-year-old robert aaron long of woodsock, georgia. it is extremely likely that the same person is responsible for all three shootings. >> georgia state patrol troopers performed a pit maneuver and the subject was taking into custody without incident. >> reporter: two people died at the first scene and one at the hospital. one individual was also wounded. >> in 2020 we had one homicide and we have had three today. it's pretty responding not only for the responding deputies but for the community here. we take this serious. >> reporter: the other two shootings took place in atlanta at spas right across the st

the brutal murders in atlanta. the latest in an unrelenting cycle of violence against asian-americans, and other marginalized communities. with this lethal combination of racism, misogyny, and xenophobia. an entire hour dedicated to addressing why this is happening, what is fueling it, and how we fix it. margaret cho, amanda nguyen, and daniel wu are here as they use their starpower to stop asian hate. and we have expert advice on what you can do to counter hate in your community. "american voices," hate on the rise, starts now. >>> it is the question, we'll work to answer over the next hour. how do you solve a problem, as big and complex and deeply rooted as hate in america? just this week, a new report from the intelligence community warned of the growing threat of homegrown extremism in our country. saying, specifically, that racially-motivated extremists are those most likely to carry out a mass-casualty attack. and in 2019, the fbi reported 7,300 hate crimes, in america. that highest in decade, targeting black

. >>> attacks on asian-americans are on the rise as new video emerges of the suspected atlanta massage parlor shooter, and today the president and vice president will head to georgia to meet with local leaders. >>> the u.s. is well ahead of joe biden's goal of 100 million shots. covid cases are on the rise now in some 13 states. >>> tense times in alaska as top u.s. officials sit down with their chinese counter parts after they slam china. >>> kids and adults are getting excited over the opening of the new super nintendo world. >>> lester holt goes behind the scenes on a movie many of you will be inspired to watch this weekend. it's friday, march 19th. "early today" starts right now >> good morning, i'm frances rivera. >> i'm phillip mena. newly released surveillance video shows the gunman outside of a shop and police are pulling up four people were murdered at that location. meanwhile, the president is heading to atlanta today our blayne alexander is there with more. >> reporter: phillip, good morning to you atlanta police say this is just the beginning of their investigation and they

i lived in atlanta many years. and worked there, part time, for nbc news, when they needed people to fill in for their bureau. so, probably, about ten years, off and on. there are plenty of places where you can go to get massages or strip clubs, or whatever, that don't involve asian women, in the atlanta area. plenty of opportunities. so, the fact that he picked those places says something about his psyche, and his motivations were. even if he is not saying it out loud, to investigators. now, if you will allow me to move on, because, chris, i interviewed an officer, tonight. that i just -- i just want to, like, interrupt and run it now. but i got to give people the news of the day. from the capitol insurrection. who was so emotional during the interview, he didn't even realize how emotional he was going to get. and he talked about his plight, as an american, as a patriot. but as a black man, who had to protect the capitol, and the people in it. and then, being called racial epithets. he said, there are people out t

and the absolute worst happened in atlanta. but you what's been highlighted is that we are still a community of love, and that there's still so much work to be done. and that's what we heard when we sat in the room with the president and the vice president today. we heard the frustration, we heard the anger, but also the righteous indignation. it's going to take all of us to solve this issue, solve these issues. but it was a very moving meeting today. and just to have the president and the vice president in atlanta together really speaks to how important this is to our country as a whole. >> it takes everybody, but you don't have everybody, right? the same people, it would seem, who were saying look at these savages running all over the streets of atlanta and all over this country, they're not about law, they're law breakers and rioters. they're the same ones now to a large extent saying, how do you know it's a hate crime, why is everything a hate crime? what do you say to those people? >> when you look at the definition of a h

natasha chen from atlanta. >>> president president biden was in atlanta yesterday meeting with community leaders and condemning the skyrocketing hate crimes against asian-americans, noting an uptick in anti-asian violence since the pandemic began. >> cnn's jasmine wright is with us now. we know the president is taking on a role that he's familiar with, consoler in chief, as some call him, especially at times like these. what did he share with the people in atlanta? >> reporter: well, you really saw president biden using his remarks to reflect that rise in violence against asian-americans in this country. as we said, he used his compassion and his empathy, but he also said some calls to action, really in his strongest remarks on the issue yet. >> too many asian-americans have been walking up and down the streets and worrying, waking up each morning the past year feeling their safety and the safety of their loved ones are at stake. they've been attacked, blamed, scapegoated and harassed. they've been verbally assaulted, physically assaulted, killed. documented incidents of hate against asi

president biden and vice president harris are heading to atlanta. it is the first time they'll be in the battleground state since taking office. their trip was originally billed as part of their tour to sell the american rescue plan stimulus, but the political portion of it is now scrapped and the focus is mourning those lost while meeting with leaders in the asian-american community. >> we'll be covering all the angles of the president's trip, as well as any new developments in the investigation into the shootings. but also this today because it's a big day in the fight against covid-19. the biden administration is set to exceed its goal of 100 million vaccinations in the president's first 100 days in office. 42 days earlier than promised. and a potential game-changer for children in classrooms. the cdc is set to cut its recommendation for physical distancing from six feet to three feet for in-person learning. makes a big difference for schools, how much space they need to reopen. cnn's jeff zeleny is traveling with the president to atlanta this mo

the new york police department has been monitoring the situation this atlanta.it's counterterrorism bureau says while there is no known nexus to new york city it still plans to send assets to asian communities across the city out of an abundance of caution. >>> u.s. president joe biden is in the midst of a cross-country tour promoting his $1.9 trillion covid relief package to the american public and it's happening while he faces increasing scrutiny over his administration's handling of the recent influx of migrant children at the southern border. cnn's kaitlan collins is following both stories. >> reporter: president biden is taking his sales pitch to pennsylvania. >> if there's anything else we can be doing. >> reporter: in chester biden kicked off his coronavirus relief bill road show designed to build support for the nearly $2 trillion package that no republicans voted for. >> we really made it work and i think you should be aware more help is on the way for real. >> reporter: biden and his top aides will appear in multiple battleground states this week as th

joining me is atlanta mayor keisha lance bottoms. she met with president biden and vice president harris yesterday during their visit. thank you for being on, as always, madam mayor. let me say, first, what can you share about the latest in the investigation? especially -- you just heard congresswoman chu calling it a hate crime. can we call this a hate crime yet? >> thank you for having me, reverend al. by all appearances, it appears to be a hate crime as i look at the legal definition of a hate crime in georgia. a hate crime can be charged based on race, it can be based upon sex and national origin. now, we know that the murder charges and the aggravated assault charges will carry the stiffer penalties, but i think for purposes of recognizing what happened in metro atlanta this week, i think it's important that hate crime charges be brought. and i do hope that prosecutors will consider that. although the penalty will only be two years for a hate crime, you have to remember, reverend al, i know that you know this, but the audience m

and even as we've talked about in atlanta increasing patrols, and fredricka, you know atlanta is the center of a larger metropolitan area that has a much larger asian-american population, some of the feedback that i received is that sometimes communities are distrustful of seeing law enforcement because we are not always treated with dignity by law enforcement. so this is not particular to our asian-american brothers and sisters. we hear this from black and brown communities as well. so while it seems as if our differences and our concerns may be different, they really are the same. people want to be treated with dignity, they want to be treated with respect, and they want to have a partnership with law enforcement. so in atlanta, the fbi is assisting us with the language barrier. one of the tangible recommendations that was shared yesterday by one of our state representatives was a cheat sheet that translates into various languages to give to law enforcement to help break down barriers. so there are things big and small that we will continue to do, but right now we have a community

we begin with breaking news overnight from atlanta. a deadly shooting spree raising new concerns about asian-americans being targeted across the country. >> police are trying to determine why a man opened fire at several spas in metro atlanta killing eight people. it comes just as congress prepares to hold a hearing tomorrow on the disturbing increase in violent attacks from california to new york targeting people of asian descent. this morning the fbi is now investigating a shooting spree that left eight people dead at multiple massage parlors in the atlanta area. police first identified 21-year-old robert long as the suspect in a shooting that killed four people at a spa in cherokee county. one hour later investigators say a gunman matching his description worked into two other massage parlors in atlanta killing four more people. >> it appears all victims are female. >> and race? >> it appears they may be asian. >> reporter: atlanta police then dispatching officers to check nearby similar businesses. >> this started up in cherokee co

ryan young is "out front" in atlanta tonight. tell us what you know of the horrific act happened in that community where you are right now. >> reporter: absolutely, erin, i can tell you the names and faces that's killed are sticking with the hearts and minds of so many people. more than a dozen people show up here to either put a message down or drop flowers off. there is been a lot of conversations here about why this had to happen. a lot of questions in the community about how to protect people around this area to make sure this never happens again. >> reporter: shock and outraged in atlanta, georgia, across the nation after eight people have been dead. robert arron long, the suspect. it is too soon to call his motive a hate crime. >> according to investigators, the suspect described as temptations as he wanted to eliminate. >> he made indicators that he has some issues potentially sexual addiction and may haves frequent some of these places. >> police say long was kicked out of the house by his family due to his sexual addicti

he was arrested driving south about 150 miles from atlanta. officials say 6 of the 8 victims appear to be asian and police are investigating the possibility that the attacks were racially motivated. this comes amid an increase in attacks on the asian community since the coronavirus pandemic. the new york police department says it will deploy counterterrorism in the city out of abundance of caution. we will keep following this story all morning and bring you any new developments as they happen. >>> let's go now to the white house and coronavirus with the white house aiming to distribute more than 2 million doses of covid-19 vaccine in the next week. that would be a new record in the u.s. fight to contain the coronavirus. states are expected to receive more than 16 million doses of the three approved vaccines. that is slightly higher than what they got last week. federally administered program such as mass vaccination sites and community health centers will receive most of those doses. the increase in supply comes as more states lift their eligi

blayne alexander is in atlanta. kristen, this is a mostly ceremonial event with the irish prime minister. what do we expect to hear from the president? >> reporter: well, i think we can expect to hear him address the shooting off of the top of this event. chuck, i wouldn't be surprised if that's the first thing that we hear from president biden. and he will likely echo what we heard from vice president harris earlier today, in which she condemned hate crimes against asian-americans. she stressed the fact that there is still no known motive in this instance. chuck, she did make that point because these shootings, and the victims of these shootings, do include asian-americans, and she reaffirmed the fact that this is an administration that condemns any behavior, and it comes in the wake of reports that there has been an uptick in anti-asian sentiment. >> okay. >> reporter: so i think that's the type of tone that you can expect to hear from president biden, chuck, when he addresses this in a short time from now. i also

is that also a problem among atlanta police? >> well, what's happening here, i mean, there's several things that are at play. one, we have to make sure that we positively identify them, and again, this is in fulton county, where we have a number of bodies in fulton county in our morgue. and secondly, we have to make sure we reach the next of kin because if we have not reached the next of kin, we certainly don't want to release their name. but we understand that the language barriers are real. i don't believe that is an issue with this case. but certainly, it's something that we're always sensitive to. >> let's talk about security. have there been any changes in the security posture of atlanta police regarding asian communities and asian american communities due to the uptick in violence that we have seen around the country, and after this, will there be? >> yes, we have increased patrols in areas that we know have several asian-owned businesses. we have also reached out, we spent the past day or so reaching out to several leader

in atlanta, i'm blayne alexander, nbc news. >> president biden on his way to atlanta stumbled a bit. this is new video of him boarding air force one at joint base andrews -- see the president briefly tripping twice on his way up the steps. he made it up the remainder of the steps without any help, saluted, and went on his way to georgia. >>> a 76-year-old asian american grandmother attacked in san francisco is recovering at home. her family says it will be a long time before she feels safe going outside again. she was attacked on market street on wednesday. her daughter and grandson say she can't see out of her right eye. >> one of her black eyes is leaking. >> police say 39-year-old steven jenkins assaulted her and another 83-year-old. jenkins is in jail. according to a go fund me page, pham is in the hospital with a fractured nose and possible neck fractures. people are showing their support for the asian american community bip donating to gofundme accounts for both victims. people have given hundreds of thousands of dollars so far. you can help in the efforts to stop the hate. nbc

we've had two weekends in atlanta in the last month with more than a dozen shootings.enate floor this morning and listened to my colleague, my brother, my friend, senator reverend raphael warnock, call upon our better angels, exhort the people to seek peace and call for public policy that brings us together and lifts us all up, that brings justice where there is violence and murder and that unites this country with common purpose, love and compassion, i felt moved that we have such a voice speaking on behalf of the people of georgia at such a moment as this, when that's precisely the message that's called for. we have to be resolute and determined in the face of violence. and we have to recommit to loving each other and defining this country based upon that mutual love and compassion. >> you know, most first speeches by freshman senators are completely ignored by the news media, but you and senator warnock became instant stars in the senate by determining the power structure of the senate and giving the power to the democrats. so there's a real spotlight on both of you

as we come on the air the president and vice president are in atlanta meeting with community leaders and addressing the attacks head on. the president just saying moments ago that america must address the ugly poison that's long haunted our nation. he's also calling on congress to pass a bill addressing hate crimes tied to the pandemic. and vice president harris telling the audience that racism is real in america and it always has been. >>> tonight we're also getting new details about what the alleged killer did before opening fire and we're learning more about the victims from their families. we've got a lot of new reporting for you and your family tonight, cbs's ed o'keefe is going to lead off our coverage, he's traveling with the president in atlanta. good evening, ed. >> reporter: good evening, norah. the deadly shooting has rocked the city and reverberated across the country. the president tonight paying respects to the asian-american community that feels under siege, and speaking out against the dangerous rise in attacks. >> good afternoon. >> reporter: president biden tonight

tonight is about the murders in atlanta. but it is a it is about how asians are looking over their shoulders when they go to their cars and how we need to call our elders and tell them to go the store with a friend or carry a stick or mace right now, more than ever, would say has really made me feel a lot more cautious about even just like going out like even being here, organizers said. this was not a call to action, but simply a moment to stand by your neighbor. i just hope this never happens again. by the website stop a p i hate dot ord that tracks the national number of hate crimes against asian americans had such high volume of traffic on sunday than a temporarily crash, and it's unclear if that high volume was due to increase reporting of hate crimes against asian americans or people searching the site for educational materials, frank. and the guards. life force tonight, emma. thank you, support is also pouring in for asian american owned businesses here in the bay area, as katie's azenith smith tells us owners recentl

the tragedy we just saw occur in atlanta georgia. i would also suggest that the victims of cartels moving illegal aliens deserve justice. the american citizens in south texas are getting decimated by what's happening at the southern border deserve justices. businesses closed and burned last summer deserve justice. >> to one of the asian-american colleagues, what he said was like saying who cares. >> we cannot turn a blind eye to people living in fear. i want to go back to something that mr. roy said earlier. your president and your party and your colleagues can talk about issues with any other country that you want, but you don't have to do it by putting a bulls eye on the back of asian-americans across this country on our grandparents, on our kids. this hearing was to address the hurt and pain of our community, to find solutions. and we will not let you take our voice away from us. >> putting a bulls eye on the community's back, as the congresswoman puts it, happened to loyal japanese americans during the second world war, k catholi

>> yeah. >> reporter: more gunshots 30 miles south in atlanta. the gold spa advertises 24/7 massages and police say operates legally. three more asian women were murdered here. >> it's not really making any sense how this happened at a massage spa. >> reporter: responding police then got this call: >> after hearing shots fired. >> reporter: yet another shooting, a third homicide scene, right across the street, inside the aroma therapy pa, the final victim was another asian woman. eight people murdered in roughly one hour, six of them asian women. two victims were white, including margaret rushing's daughter, 33-year-old delaina ashley yaun. >> this is the hardest thing i've ever... ever in my whole life... had to deal with. >> reporter: 21-year-old suspect robert aaron long, once active in his southern baptist church, tried to explain his killing spree to police. >> was this racially motivated? >> we believe that he frequented these places in the past, and may have been lashing out. >> reporter: the working theory is a sexual addiction issue, rat