President Joe Biden has ordered the American flags at the White House and on other federal ground be flown at half-staff as “a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence” in Atlanta this week.

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Harris, who has previously spoken about the racism she and her family members in this country have faced, also called the shooting “tragic.”

In her most formal remarks about the ongoing issue of violence against the Asian American community, Harris – the first person of South Asian descent to hold her office – said the shooting also spoke to the “larger issue” of violence.

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The Kansas state flag was adopted in 1927. It features a sunflower on a blue field, with the state seal in the center. The sunflower is a symbol of Kansas, as it is one of the state's official flowers. The state seal on the flag includes the state motto, "Ad Astra per Aspera," which means "To the Stars Through Difficulties." The seal also includes a depiction of a pioneer and a Native American, representing the state's history and the coexistence of its diverse population. The flag also includes the word "Kansas" at the bottom.

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Biden and Harris are expected to visit Atlanta on Friday. The previously-planned portion of the trip touting the Covid relief bill has been postponed. Instead, they will meet with Asian American leaders and visit the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, per the White House.

Meanwhile, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are holding a hearing Thursday on violence and discrimination against the Asian American community with four Asian American female lawmakers testifying.

The shooting rampage on Tuesday took place at three different Atlanta-area spas – one in Cherokee County and two across the street from one another within the city – and left eight people dead, six of whom were of Asian women, while another person was wounded. Robert Aaron Long, 21, has been charged in the shootings.

Yesterday, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris expressed concerns about any violence against Asian Americans, with the President calling the shootings “very troubling.”