Atlanta spa shooting: Victims identified by police, medical examiner

By Alyssa Wilson Published: March 19, 2021

Atlanta spa shooting: Victims identified by police, medical examiner

Atlanta Police, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and the FBI continue to investigate the shootings that claimed the lives of eight people including six Asian women.

By: Alyssa Wilson

Warning: This story contains descriptions of gun violence.

The victims of the shootings at three spas in Atlanta have officially been identified.

In Cherokee County, four people were killed and one person was injured after the shooting at Young’s Asian Massage.

Delaina Ashley Yaun

The 33-year-old was a waitress at a Georgia Waffle House. Yaun was at Young’s Asian Massage in hopes of enjoying a relaxing evening with her husband. She is survived by her 14-year-od son and eight-month-old daughter, according to the Guardian.

Paul Andre Michels

The 54-year-old army veteran was a handyman at Young’s Asian Massage. A family friend told CBS 46 that Michels is survived by his wife and that the shooting “couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy,”

Xiaojie Tan

Tan was shot and killed just one day before what would have been her 50th birthday. Jami Webb, Tan’s daughter, spoke to USA Today and said “She did everything for me and for the family. She provided everything. She worked every day, 12 hours a day, so that me and our family would have a better life.” Tan is survived by her daughter and her husband.

Daoyou Feng

There is little information available about Feng. According to BBC News , the 44-year-old had only worked at Young’s Asian Massage for a few months before she was killed.

Elcias R. Hernandez

Hernandez was injured in the shooting. He remains in the hospital in the intensive care unit. According to a GoFundMe page set up for him, he was shot in the head, chest and stomach.

The Fulton County Medical Examiner released the names of the other four victims from Aromatherapy Spa and Gold Massage Spa.

The Atlanta Police Department worked with the Korean consulate to identify them.

Soon C. Park

Limited details are available about Park. She was 74 years old and died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Hyun J. Grant

The 51-year-old was a mother of two. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she was the only family member her sons had in America. “Losing her has put a new lens on my eyes on the amount of hate that exists in our world. As much as I want to grieve and process the reality that she is gone, I have a younger brother to take care of and matters to resolve as a result of this tragedy,” her oldest son Randy said.

Suncha Kim

Kim was 69 years old and died after being shot in the chest.

Yong A. Yue

Yue was 63 years old and died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Long, who told police the crimes were not racially motivated despite six of the victims being Asian, has been charged with eight counts of murder and one count of assault.