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| THE BIG STORY
Eight people are reportedly dead and at least one other wounded after three shootings in massage parlors in the Atlanta area.
Robert Aaron Long, 21, of Woodstock, Georgia, was taken into custody Tuesday night. Based on video evidence, authorities said they believe he was responsible for all three shootings.
Six of the eight victims were Asian, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the New York Times reported, citing unnamed officials. The massage parlors advertised their largely Asian staff. All but one of the eight victims were women, the Times reported.
A spokesperson for police said that in the wake of the shootings, officers were dispatched to other massage parlors and patrols have been increased as a precaution.
Necessary context: The shootings come as anti-Asian hate crimes have seen a stunning uptick in the US throughout the past year of the pandemic.
According to one study, though overall hate crimes decreased by 7% in 16 major US cities in 2020, anti-Asian hate crimes increased 149%, first spiking in March and April when COVID-19 began its spread. An official stands in front of a massage parlor after a shooting late Tuesday in Atlanta. Brynn Anderson / AP HELP US CELEBRATE SUNSHINE WEEK
Sunshine Week is an initiative led by the News Leaders Association, in partnership with other media and civic organizations, to promote access to information and open government.
In celebration of Sunshine Week, we’re extending our FOIA fundraising efforts! Now through March 22, every BuzzFeed News Membership sign up or one-time contribution will go towards our FOIA legal fund.
STAYING ON TOP OF THIS
As of this past weekend, more than 4,200 children were in custody at Border Patrol stations and facilities that were not designed for minors.
According to an email sent to congressional officials, the US government will open an emergency intake site at a Dallas convention center to attempt to decrease overcrowding reported in those facilities.
Health and Human Services officials said the goal of the new intake center is to put children in a safer environment while officials work to get them to a family member or other sponsor, or a long-term shelter. SNAPSHOTS
Hundreds of people who joined the Capitol riot may never face charges. While the Justice Department described its probe into the insurrection as “one of the largest in US history,” many of the roughly 800 people who entered the Capitol may never face legal consequences because they simply walked away from the scene.
A Colombian man seeking asylum in the US has died in ICE custody. The 45-year-old man, whose cause of death was not immediately known, appears to be the fourth person to have died in ICE custody since October.
Two people were killed in a massive fireworks explosion at a house in California. Horrifying videos on social media show fire erupting out of the house as fireworks pop off and a cloud of dark smoke billows high into the sky.
A Florida teen and her mom were arrested for allegedly rigging the vote so she’d win homecoming queen. The teenager — who was crowned homecoming queen in October — was arrested, along with her mother, for hacking into the high school system and rigging the election to ensure she won the title, authorities said.
Elliot Page opened up about his decision to come out as trans. In an interview with Time magazine, Page said before coming out, “I just never recognized myself.” Elliot said of his experience working as an actor: “For a long time I could not even look at a photo of myself.” A FINCEN FILES INVESTIGATION
JPMorgan staff said a $1.1 billion deal might be corrupt. The bank sent the money anyway. Two giant energy companies were offering more than $1 billion to drill oil just off Nigeria’s coast. JPMorgan Chase had been asked to facilitate the 2011 payment.
But there was a problem: during a corrupt government’s regime in the 1990s, the drilling rights were sold to a high-ranking minister who was also a convicted money launderer. Much of the spoils of this new deal would go to him.
This posed challenges for the largest bank in the Western Hemisphere. In an email that we obtained, an anti-money laundering officer of the bank wrote, “We remain suspicious that these funds could be the proceeeds [sic] of corruption by public officials.”
In the end, JPMorgan sent the money — and used its UK branch to complete the deal, though it is not known whether other branches were used as well.
JPMorgan says that it took all the precautions it could. But documents reviewed by BuzzFeed News show that the banking giant sent the money despite multiple clear warning signs of corruption that its own staff unearthed and brought to the attention of high-level managers. SHUT IT DOWN
Michelle Obama shut down Jimmy Kimmel’s “sick” question about her sex life with Barack Obama
The former first lady was on Kimmel’s show to promote her new Netflix series, Waffles + Mochi.
The host reminded Michelle of a past interview, where he asked about “the night that SEAL Team Six took out Osama Bin Laden at your husband's order, did you and your husband make love that night to celebrate?”
Not only did Michelle refuse to answer the question — saying she was “still pleading the fifth” — she also turned it back on Jimmy.
“You know, I have to tell your audience that — for some very sick reason — you are very obsessed with this portion of that major historical event,” she said. ABC / Youtube Anchor yourself in gratitude today, Elamin P.S. If you like this newsletter, help keep our reporting free for all. Support BuzzFeed News by becoming a member here. (Monthly memberships are available worldwide). 📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Elamin Abdelmahmoud and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here. Show privacy notice and cookie policy.
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