Tulsa’s Asian American Community Devastated Following Deadly Atlanta-Area Shootings

Tuesday's shootings at three Atlanta-area spas that left eight people dead, including six Asian women, have shaken the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities across the country, including those in Green Country.

The suspected gunman, 21-year-old Robert Long, has denied the attacks were racially motivated, but investigators have not ruled that out.

According to the non-profit "Stop AAPI Hate," about 3,800 hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been reported across the country over the last year.

Jade Nguyen, who moved from Vietnam to Tulsa, is helping organize an upcoming march in downtown Tulsa called "Stop Asian Hate."

"There have been instances where we have been possibly in danger or just uncomfortable with our situation, and we have called the police several times," explained Nguyen.

Nguyen said she and other volunteers planned the march even before Tuesday's attacks.

While investigators have not confirmed that it was a hate crime, the number of Asian victims has left many AAPIs concerned.

"Right now, the whole community is in a lot of pain and kind of standing in solidarity because many of the victims were Korean, and some I think were Chinese," said Tulsa educator Yurianna Kim, who is from Korea.

Kim said she worries about her family and students being targeted.

"So, it is kind of scary, especially when we have a lot of hateful rhetoric,” said Kim.

Ying "Queenie" Qi, a Tulsa realtor from China, said she feels safe in our community and wishes all the attacks on AAPIs would stop.

"We are all human beings,” said Qi. “We all, you know, deserve to have the same right to be alive, to enjoy life peacefully."

The AAPI community asks for more allies to stand up against racism.

The "Stop Asian Hate" march is at 4 p.m. on March 26 at Center of the Universe.