A Chinese man named Jiang Rui was sentenced to 25 years in prison and 5 years of probation on June 18, 2025, for his attempted mass shooting at a church in Virginia in 2023.
In March 2023, Jiang Rui was convicted by a jury on four charges related to the attempted shooting: obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs of churchgoers based on a hate crime, possession of a dangerous weapon, attempted murder, spreading online threats, and violating gun laws, all of which were found to be true.
In the early hours of September 24, 2023, Jiang Rui started posting threats online against the church, clearly stating his intent to kill worshippers. Following a report from a vigilant citizen, three police departments in Virginia and Maryland launched a joint investigation.
A few hours later, the Prince William County police arrested Jiang Rui at Park Valley Church in Haymarket, Virginia, where they found a semi-automatic handgun, two loaded magazines, and two knives on him. In his nearby vehicle, they also discovered additional ammunition, knives, and a can of bear spray.
In Jiang Rui’s apartment, the police found five letters, each signed with his ink signature. In one of them, he wrote: “I am here to deprive these fortunate people of the love life God has given them because I am going to kill these people… To the families of those about to be killed – I am sorry for what I have done and what I am about to do.”
Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice, Erik Siebert, stated, “This was a critical event. Without a vigilant citizen; without the outstanding police work of Anne Arundel County, Fairfax County, and Prince William County; without the steadfast vigilance of the church security team, this would have ended in an unimaginable tragedy. The Department of Justice will relentlessly investigate and prosecute attacks on religious places in the United States.”
Federal Prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia, Erik Siebert, said, “Ensuring that people can exercise their religious freedom without fear is one of the cornerstones of our country. Jiang Rui attempted to violate this principle by entering the church during religious ceremonies with a gun, intending to murder innocent parishioners. Such heinous acts can only be thwarted by brave law enforcement and civilians and have no place in our republic, which remains my office’s top priority.”
Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the FBI, Steven Jensen, commented that the thwarted church shooting, reported by a vigilant citizen, serves as a reminder that “when communities and law enforcement work together, we can prevent targeted acts of violence.”
Authorities detailed that in the early hours of September 24, 2023, a social media user on Instagram saw multiple threatening posts from Jiang Rui and alerted the Anne Arundel County police in Maryland, who then contacted the Fairfax County police in Virginia.
It was evident from the posts that Jiang Rui had pointed a gun at the church in several photos posted on Instagram, including images of Park Valley Church.
Officials went to Jiang Rui’s home in Falls Church, Virginia, but he was not there. Falls Church is approximately a 30-minute drive from Haymarket town.
Fairfax County quickly relayed information about a car Jiang Rui might be driving to the Prince William County police.
Subsequently, an off-duty Prince William County police officer spotted the car in the parking lot of Park Valley Church and immediately alerted the staff responsible for monitoring suspicious individuals at the church.
The staff noticed Jiang Rui, dressed in black with sunglasses, entering the church through a back door. Security personnel followed him as he sat in the balcony for a while before attempting to go through a door marked “Do Not Enter.” After a confrontation with security, he returned to the church, descending the stairs to the lobby.
Around 10:15 am, the police arrested Jiang Rui in the church lobby, finding a loaded gun and magazine on him.
Authorities also found relevant documents, letters, and electronic devices related to the case at his home. His gun was legally purchased and had no record of being stolen.
Police stated that Jiang Rui visited the church between 3:20 am and 6 am, took photographs of the building, and then posted on social media.