LOS ANGELES: Basketball stars LeBron James and Jeremy Lin were among those Wednesday condemning acts of hatred directed at the Asian community after a series of shootings in the Atlanta area left six Asian women dead.

Robert Aaron Long, a 21-year-old white man, took responsibility for killing eight people on Tuesday in spas in the southern state of Georgia, including the women.

Authorities stressed the motive of the shooter had not been determined, yet the incident shook the Asian-American community, whose members have faced a surge in violence targeting during the Covid-19 pandemic.

James, a four-time NBA champion and star guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, tweeted, "My condolences goes out to the families of all the victims and the entire Asian community tonight on what transpired in Atlanta at the Aromatherapy Spa... Just senseless and tragic!!"

"Last night's tragic events in Atlanta are part of a disturbing rise in violence and discrimination towards Asian Americans," the NBA said in a statement. "Today and every day, we stand with the Asian community and condemn all acts of hate and racism."

Lin, the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA, was upset about the shooting, tweeting his pain and hope.

"This is sooo heartbreaking... praying for our world," Lin tweeted. "To my Asian American family, please take time to grieve but know youre loved, seen and IMPORTANT. We have to keep standing up, speaking out, rallying together and fighting for change. We cannot lose hope!!"