A 35-year-old man has been charged with attempting to shoot up a Virginia church after he allegedly posted threatening messages about the church online and showed up to the church on Sunday with a semi-automatic handgun and two loaded magazines.
Rui Jiang was charged by the Department of Justice on Thursday with attempted obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs, use and carry of a firearm during a crime of violence, and making threats. Jiang was arrested on September 24, 2023, outside of the Park Valley Church in Haymarket, Virginia, allegedly carrying a handgun and two loaded magazines after a member of the church had alerted authorities about concerning social media posts threatening violence he had reportedly made.
Police searched Jiang’s apartment and say they found five copies of a letter indicating that men in the church would be targeted in the shooting. “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 letter said.
The letter indicated that Jiang was angry about not being able to get into a romantic relationship. He was previously charged in February over the alleged threats.
An affidavit in support of his arrest from an FBI agent who investigated the case included several of the social media posts that raised concerns and illustrated anger toward God and the church. The FBI spoke with police who had been alerted about the troubling social media posts.
“The officer observed multiple pictures posted to the account, including one burning a Bible in a frying pan on top of a stove, one with a Bible placed on the bathroom floor, and threatening messages against a church and the government,” the FBI agent wrote in her affidavit. “There were also pictures of a silhouette target with bullet holes in it with the hashtag ‘Fk God,’ as well as pictures from inside a white vehicle parked in a church parking lot at night.”
One post read: “Welcome to Park Valley church, attended by many top secret gov clearance holders in the area. From this day forward, you will know that this is how you will repaid me. Blood will be on your hands.”
The post with the picture of the Bible on the bathroom floor tagged Park Valley Church and was captioned, “Put the Bible on the floor next to the bathroom. Now everytime I take a piss, I have to step on it. #fk God.”
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According to the affidavit, Jiang denied that he had showed up to the church on Sunday to carry out an attack during an interview with police.
“JIANG denied going to Park Valley Church to harm anyone or himself,” the affidavit said. “He admitted that he could see how someone could view his Instagram posts and emails coupled with him showing up to the church armed with a gun as ‘scary,’ but believed it to be a misunderstanding.”
Jiang could face life in prison if convicted. The FBI and the Prince William County, Virginia, and Fairfax County, Virginia, Police Departments were all involved in investigating the case.