On Tuesday, March 16, two shootings occurred near Atlanta, Georgia, that killed eight people. Six of the victims were women of Asian descent. One white woman and man were additionally killed, while another survivor is currently in critical condition.
The victims were:
Soon C. Park, 74: Ms. Park was the oldest person killed. She worked at Gold Spa and lived in New York before moving to Atlanta.
Hyun J. Grant, 51: Ms. Grant was an employee at Gold Spa. She was a single mother living in Duluth, Georgia, supporting her two sons and helping them with college tuition and rent. Randy Park, one of her sons, described his mother as “one of my best friends and the strongest influence on who we are today. Losing her has put a new lens on my eyes on the amount of hate that exists in our world.”
Suncha Kim, 69: Ms. Kim worked at Gold Spa.
Yong A. Yue, 63: Ms. Yue worked at Aromatherapy Spa and was the last person to be killed. She moved from South Korea to the U.S. in the ‘70s. With the onset of the pandemic, Yue was laid off after the onset of the pandemic and was excited to finally get back to work at the spa. Her son, Robert Peterson, described Yue as “a kind and deeply caring woman.” Her husband, Elliott Peterson described Yue as someone who brought people flowers, food, and gifts when she was not working.
Xiaojie Tan, 49: Ms. Tan was the owner of Young’s Asian Massage in Acworth, Georgia. A customer said, that she made her patrons feel at home and treated her friends like family. She was originally from China.
Daoyou Feng, 44: Ms. Feng was an employee of Young’s Asian Massage and started working in the spa a few months ago.
Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33: Ms. Yaun and her husband were on their way for a massage at Young’s Asian Massage. She arrived before the shooting began and was tragically killed. Yaun was from a family of four siblings and had worked at a Waffle House restaurant. She had two children: a 13-year-old she raised as a single mother and a daughter who was 8 months old. Her family describes her as “a good, godly woman” and “the rock for this family.”
Paul Andre Michels, 54: Mr. Michels was a businessman and U.S. Army infantry veteran. He grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and moved to Georgia 25 years ago. One of eight siblings, he was described as “a very hard-working, loving man,” by John Michels, his brother.
Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, 30, was walking past one of the spas when he was shot multiple times. He remains in critical condition. He lived in Guatemala before moving to Georgia nearly 10 years ago, where he works as a mechanic and has been a dedicated father to his nine year old daughter.
Racism against Asians is at an all time high. Many Asian Americans live in fear for their safety, as instances of public harassment, physical assault, civil rights violations, and online harassment are being reported. As a school with a large Asian American community, it is imperative that Stevens acknowledges and works to ensure the safety and inclusion of our Asian population.
Report instances of racism
To report instances of racism, harassment, or assault of any kind on campus, students can report a concern by going to stevens.edu/report.
Asian–owned businesses to support in Hoboken:
Baking Mama, Bangkok City Thai, Dreamz Salon, Erica Li Grooming, Green Garden, Gogi Grill, Hidden Grounds, Hoboken Smile Specialists, Hudson Flowers, JP’S Bagel Express, Karma Kafe, Modern Nails, Organic Basic Food, Shokudo, Sugarsuckle, Sweet Hoboken
Resources for supporting the AAPI community:
• 61 ways to donate in support of Asian communities
• Armed Patrol Security Guards for Oakland Chinatown – GoFundMe page
• Asian Americans Advocating Justice (AAJC)
• Federal Asian Pacific American Council
• Organizations to support in the fight against Asian hate
• #HATEISAVIRUS
• AAPI Civic Engagement Fund
For continued learning about anti-racism, click here.
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