Democrats rush to blame 'White supremacy' for Atlanta shootings, but police point to sex addiction

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National Democrats rushed to Twitter on Wednesday to blame "White supremacy" and "racism" for the mass shooting spree that targeted massage parlors in the Atlanta area, but police officials say the suspect claimed the deadly shootings were not racially motivated.

Robert Aaron Long, the 21-year-old who authorities said took "responsibility" for the string of shootings Tuesday that left eight people dead, reportedly confessed that he has a "sex addiction" and that he viewed the massage parlors as "an outlet for him" where he could be tempted.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT ATLANTA SHOOTING SUSPECT ROBERT LONG

"He apparently has an issue, what he considers a sex addiction, and sees these locations as ... a temptation for him that he wanted to eliminate," said Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Capt. Jay Baker during a press conference. 

Long's reported motive for the shooting appears to contradict several national Democrats in Congress, including Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, who quickly blamed "white supremacy" while the investigation was still ongoing. Two of the fatalities were White, while the other six victims were Asian Americans, according to police.

"Imagine if he was Black, Muslim or Latino," Tlaib tweeted. "This is exposing white supremacy in all forms."

Democratic Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., blamed "White supremacy" and "racist rhetoric centered around COVID-19" in a since-deleted Twitter thread reacting to the shootings. 

"Although more information is still needed, it's clear that the epidemic of gun violence, anti-Asian sentiment, and white supremacy have been neglected for too long and pose a grave risk to our country," Smith wrote. 

ATLANTA MAYOR SPEAKS OUT AFTER MASS SHOOTING 

He added: "These attacks come at a time when white supremacy and anti-Asian violence are spreading like a disease in our country. This is a direct result of the racist rhetoric centered around COVID-19 – even used by other elected officials – which directly led us to where we are today."

Former Democratic President Barack Obama also weighed in on the shooting, tweeting that the "Identity of the victims underscores an alarming rise in anti-Asian violence."

He then continued his tweet thread by talking about the importance of "commonsense gun safety laws," despite the shooting investigation being ongoing. 

According to a press release, Long has been charged with at least four counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault. He will be arraigned on Thursday morning.