FALLS CHURCH, Va. — A jury trial has been set for the man indicted for plotting to shoot up a church in Prince William County last year. The trial is expected to begin on May 28.
A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging 35-year-old Rui Jiang for the plot late last month. If a judge convicts him on all counts, he could face life in prison.
The indictment charged Jiang with attempting to obstruct congregants of the Park Valley Church in Haymarket in the free exercise of their religious beliefs. The indictment charged that his attempted act involved a dangerous weapon and included both a threats count and a firearms violation.
During a search of Jiang’s apartment, police discovered five copies of a letter, each signed, which read in part, “To the families of those men about to be slain – I am sorry for what I have done and about to do. May your tears not be cried in vain, but to celebrate how your loved ones had lived.”
The case against Jiang was moved to federal court last month. Since the federal government is pursuing the case, state charges have been dropped, according to chief public defender Tracey Lenox.
Jiang faced several charges including aggravated attempted murder of multiple persons after he reportedly showed up to Park Valley Church armed with a gun.
On Sept. 24, 2023, church security said he appeared to walk around looking for cameras and testing out the thickness of the glass atrium in the middle of service.
Meanwhile, an officer received the alert about Jiang after a tip came from Fairfax County Police about concerning and threatening social media posts about the church, which included posts of burning a Bible, photos of being outside the church, and pointing a gun at a screen with a church on it.
The officer and church security stopped Jiang in the lobby. Police said they found a loaded semiautomatic pistol, an additional magazine, a folding knife, and a folding “credit card” style knife.
An affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia said detectives obtained a search warrant and found the letters, later described by Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis as a manifesto. He claimed to be a political assassin for the government for more than a decade.
The letter stated, “despite my faith even in my worst of days – nothing has changed. My mental health continues to deteriorate. I am not allowed to be in love. To experience love. To experience a romantic relationship.”
Investigators said according to emails sent to himself, Jiang also added, “Any man who looks obviously lonely or probably hasn't had sex in years – I will spare. But then again, in the heat of the shootings, I might kill them anyways. Blood is on your hands. Not mine.”
Jiang started to attend the church about five months prior to the incident. He denied intending to hurt anyone.
The church staff said a day earlier, Jiang sent several emails with profanities to request a refund for his donation to the church because he believed his life “went downhill” since the pledge.
In the letter, he claimed what he was about to do was not religiously motivated.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. It's not clear when that sentencing will take place.
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