Shootings at three Atlanta-area massage parlors left eight people dead on Tuesday, authorities said.

Four people were killed and one person was injured at a massage parlor in Cherokee County, according to officials.

Shortly after, shootings at two Atlanta massage spas that are across the street from each other left four people dead. Police Chief Rodney Bryant said all four victims were female.

What happened at the Atalanta parlors?

Atlanta police responded to a call of a robbery taking place at a spa just before 6 p.m. local time (2200 GMT). Upon arrival, officers found three women fatally wounded from apparent gunshot wounds, police said.

While they were at that scene, they learned of a call reporting shots fired at another spa across the street and found a woman dead inside the salon. It seemed as though she also died after being shot.

Second shooting in Acworth

Earlier, at around 5 p.m., five people were shot at Young's Asian Massage Parlor in Acworth, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of the state capital, Cherokee County Sheriff's Office said.

Two of the victims were dead and three were transported to a hospital where two of them also perished, Sheriff spokesman Captain Jay Baker said.

It was not known if the shootings at the Atlanta salons were connected to the one in Cherokee County.

Man arrested

Later on Tuesday a 21-year-old man was in custody in relation to the fatal shootings.

He was captured in southwest Georgia, a few hours after the onslaughts took place.

Cherokee County officials confirmed the suspect was taken into custody in Crisp County on Tuesday night, roughly 150 miles south of Atlanta.

jsi/msh (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)