The shootings that claimed the lives of eight people at spas in the American city of Atlanta were not racially motivated, the suspect told authorities as confirmed by officials on Wednesday.

“The suspect did take responsibility for the shootings,” AFP quoted Captain Jay Baker of the Cherokee Country Sheriff’s Office as saying at a press conference.

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“This is still early, but he does claim it was not racially motivated,” said the officer.

Authorities said they believed the suspect, identified as 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, had planned additional shootings in Florida.

Eight people, including six Asian women, were killed in three separate shootings at spas and massage parlours in the Georgian city on Tuesday.  

Anti-Asian discrimination appears to have risen in the United States over the past year amid the coronavirus crisis, which some Americans including former president Donald Trump highlight began in China in late 2019.

In a series of tweets on Wednesday, former US President Barack Obama said the violence against Asian-Americans “must end”. 

“Although the shooter’s motive is not yet clear, the identity of the victims underscores an alarming rise in anti-Asian violence that must end,” he tweeted. 

Long was taken into custody after what police said was a “brief pursuit” of about 150 miles (240 kilometres) from Atlanta. The Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted in the investigation. 

Georgia is home to nearly 500,000 Asian residents, just over 4% of its population, according to data from the Asian American Advocacy Fund.