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After a four-day trial, a federal jury found Rui Jiang, 35, guilty on all charges, including attempting to obstruct the free exercise of religious beliefs through an attempted act of violence involving a dangerous weapon, according to the Department of Justice.
Jiang was also convicted of transmitting online threats and a firearms violation, prosecutors said.
Authorities say Jiang began posting threats against Park Valley Church in Haymarket on the evening of Sept. 23, 2023, making it clear he intended to kill congregants.
By the next morning, police were actively searching for Jiang after concerned citizens reported his posts.
At 10:12 a.m. on Sept. 24, Jiang arrived at Park Valley Church while Sunday services were in progress, investigators said.
The timeline leading to Jiang's arrest.
A church volunteer had already become suspicious of Jiang’s behavior when police arrived and took him into custody before he could act.
When he was arrested, Jiang was carrying a semi-automatic handgun, two full magazines, and an additional 34 rounds of ammunition in his vehicle, prosecutors said
Jiang has been held in custody since his arrest on Sept. 24, 2023. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced in June 2025.
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