A Virginia man who attempted to carry out a mass shooting at a church in Haymarket was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in prison and five years of supervised release.
Rui Jiang, 36, of Fairfax, was convicted by a jury in March for transmitting threats over the internet and carrying a gun during the attempt.
According to court records, Jiang began posting online threats to kill congregants of Park Valley Church on the evening of Sept. 23, 2023.
The next morning, police searched for Jiang in response to a concerned citizen’s call.
Officers located Jiang at the church while Sunday services were under way.
Jiang was armed with a semiautomatic handgun, two magazines of ammunition and two knives. He had additional ammunition, knives and a canister of bear spray in his nearby car.
During a search of Jiang’s apartment, police discovered copies of a manifesto, signed by Jiang, which read in part, “I am here deny (sic) the love lives blessed by God to these lucky men, by taking out these men . . .To the families of those men about to be slain – I am sorry for what I have done and about to do (sic).”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with assistance from Prince William County and Fairfax County police departments.
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Crystal Graham
