Atlanta spa shootings: 'Heartbroken' Rihanna condemns attack, says 'the hate must stop'

International pop-icon Rihanna expressed her support for the Asian-American community in the wake of the shooting in the US that killed eight people. Rihanna took to Twitter and slammed racism and questioned the growth of Asian-hate crimes which has drastically increased in one year. Rihanna confessed that she was completely heartbroken for the Asian community after she got to know about the brutal attack.

Rihanna condemns Atlanta attacks

A 21-year-old man has been arrested and charged for murder for the rampage in Atlanta that has deeply shaken and affected the entire Asian community. Venting out her anger at the hate against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, Rihanna wrote, "what happened yesterday in Atlanta was brutal, tragic & is certainly not an isolated incident by any means. AAPI hate has been rampantly perpetuated & it’s disgusting! I’m heartbroken for the Asian community & my heart is with the loved ones of those we lost. The hate must stop."

Eight people were killed and one person was injured in the attacks. The first shooting took place at Young’s Asian Massage where four people lost their lives. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Capt. Jay Baker mentioned how the event was reported around 5 PM with the information provided of a Hispanic man being injured. The Atlanta police also revealed the information about the second shooting which was reported around 5:47 PM. The police went on to share how they found gunshot wounds and the dead bodies of three women at Gold Spa. The officers also reported how they were at the second site when reports of gunfire across the street were shared with them. Being in close proximity, the police did not take any time to reach the Aromatherapy Spa, only to find the dead body of a woman. 

Other celenbrities against the attacks 

Apart from Rihanna, several other prominent stars also condemned the attacks and expressed their anger.     Actress Mindy Kaling mourned the loss of all 'Asians brothers and sisters' and took a firm step towards ‘stopping Asian hate’ by raising awareness about the same. In her tweet, the comedian slams racism and questions the growth of Asian-hate crimes which has drastically increased since last year. Followed by Mindy Kaling, celebrity chef and cookbook author Padma Lakshmi, expressed her sadness over the loss of innocent lives. American singer-songwriter John Legend posted a message in support of the Asian community and wrote, " Absolutely horrible. Sending love to all the loved ones of those whose lives were taken. Our nation needs to reckon with the increased threats being directed at our Asian-American brothers and sisters."