Shootings at three massage parlours in Atlanta, Georgia and one in the suburbs have left eight people dead.

A 21-year-old man was taken into custody hours later on Tuesday (local time) after a manhunt.

Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant said three people were killed at a spa in northeast Atlanta, while a fourth was killed at another spa across the street.

He said all four victims were female, and “it appears that they may be Asian.”

Police officers responding to a call of a robbery in progress at one spa about 5.50pm found three women dead 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 who appeared to have been shot dead inside the business.

Earlier, about 5pm, five people were shot at Young’s Asian Massage Parlor in Acworth, about 50 kilometres north of Atlanta.

Two of the victims were dead and three were transported to a hospital where two of them also died.

Authorities were not immediately releasing the gender or race of the victims, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Captain Jay Baker said.

A man suspected in the Acworth shooting was captured by surveillance video pulling up to the business about 4.50pm on Tuesday, minutes before the shooting, authorities said.

The suspect, Robert Aaron Long, was taken into custody in Crisp County, about 240 kilometres south of Atlanta.

Tweet from @ChrisJoseWSB

Authorities believe Mr Long is also the suspect in the Atlanta shootings.

With two shootings at massage parlours in Atlanta and the knowledge of the Acworth shooting, Atlanta police said they dispatched officers to check nearby similar businesses and increased patrols in the area.

-with AAP