By MyungSool Jang
Translated SeungYeon Woo



On Tuesday night, February 21st, a Korean family of five was killed in a shooting at a Korean spa in Norcross, GA.

According to the police report, the shooting incident occurred around 9 p.m. at the Su Jung Health Sauna, located on Buford Highway in Norcross, northeast of Atlanta.

The victims are the owner of the sauna, Byung-ok Kang (65), Kang’s wife, Keum-hee Baek (67), her sister, Keum-sook Baek (57), and her husband Tae-yeol Kim (58). The identity of the shooter has been proven to be the brother-in-law of the owner Kang and his name is Jung-su Baek (60). After he shot his sisters and their husbands, he then killed himself, according to the Atlanta Chosun.

Kwon, one of the Korean witnesses at the sauna during the incident, said, “I heard a gunshot when I was receiving acupressure. I came outside and I saw the owner Kang, his wife and her sister already dead. The sister’s husband did not die yet but he was in critical condition.” It was reported that the sister’s husband died after he was taken to the hospital.

“After the incident, others didn’t know what to do so I called the police. No other employers and customers at the scene are insured since the shooting happened among the family members,” said Kwon.

According to the Atlanta Chosun, at the night of the incident, more than 80 people from the police and investigation squad arrived; they blocked off the sauna area and are continuing to investigate. The motive for the crime has not yet been found; however, neighbors around the sauna assume that the family’s financial problem was a factor in the shooting.

After the security cameras of the sauna were analyzed by the police, it was revealed that at around 8:25 p.m. the attacker, Baek, shot Kang while they were arguing at the counter near the entrance. The police reported Kang was found dead on the chair and Kim died of excessive bleeding on the way to the hospital.

The police arrived within 30 minutes after the incident, and found a gun at the scene that was probably used by Baek.

There are two Korean health saunas in the Atlanta area. The Su Jung Health Sauna is located in downtown Norcross where Koreatown is.

Currently, there are about 80,000 Koreans living in the Atlanta community, and Koreatowns are mainly developed in the northeastern cities of Atlanta, such as Norcross, Doraville and Duluth.

ⓒ 보스톤코리아(http://www.bostonkorea.com), 무단전재 및 재배포 금지