The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department removed a controversial spokesperson from the Atlanta spa shooting case that left eight dead, including 6 Asian Americans.
Department spokesman Jay Baker set off a Twitter storm when he described suspect Robert Aaron Long as having a “bad day.”
The controversy grew after past social media posts surfaced from Baker which blamed China for the coronavirus pandemic.
“In as much as his words were taken or construed as insensitive and inappropriate, they were not intended to disrespect any of the victims,” the Department said in a statement about the controversy.
Shortly after the statement, WSB-TV reported Baker had been removed from the case.
Sheriff Frank Reynold apologized for any “heartache” the statements may have caused.
The Department did not publicly explain Baker’s removal.
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