Elected officials around the country are denouncing a mass shooting that left at least eight people dead in Georgia Tuesday. 

The suspect in custody has been identified as Robert Aaron Long by the Crisp County Sheriff's Office. 

Long has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of assault. Officials say he claimed the shootings were not racially motivated.

This comes after a disturbing rise in bias incidents against Asian Americans around the country. 

On Sunday, elected officials and activists came together to denounce recent acts of hate. Organizers are calling for immediate action, which includes improving the way the city tracks hate crimes. 

They are asking for more funding and training to hate crime units. They are also asking to introduce curriculums in schools to tackle the issue. 

They are also calling on the city and state to launch media campaigns on buses, municipal buildings and government property to promote unity and respect.