Vice President Kamala Harris called Tuesday's deadly shootings in Atlanta a tragic reminder that it was critical to always speak out about violence, and expressed solidarity with Asian Americans, who have experienced a rise in hate crimes.
Law enforcement officials on Wednesday said the suspect in the fatal shooting of eight people, including six women of Asian descent, claimed he had issues with sexual addiction and that the shootings may have not been motivated by racial hatred.
"We are not yet clear about the motive. But I do want to say to our Asian-American community that we stand with you and understand how this has frightened and shocked and outraged all people, knowing the increasing level of hate crime against our Asian-American brothers and sisters," Harris told reporters before a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.