After a four-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict Thursday for Rui Jiang of Falls Church, Virginia, who was charged with attempting to obstruct the congregants of a church in Haymarket, Virginia, in the free exercise of their religious beliefs.
The charge included that the defendant’s attempted act involved a dangerous weapon and an attempt to kill. Jiang also faced charges for transmitting online threats and a firearms violation.
The jury found Jiang guilty on all counts.
According to evidence presented at trial, Jiang began posting online threats against the church on the evening of September 23, 2023, which made clear his intention to kill congregants.
On the morning of September 24, 2023, police began searching for Jiang in response to a concerned citizen’s call about his posts. Police officers located Jiang inside the front entrance to the church while Sunday services were underway.
Church volunteers, independently concerned about Jiang’s behaviour, had just approached Jiang when the police arrived. Jiang was armed with a semiautomatic handgun and two full magazines of ammunition.
He had an additional 34 rounds of ammunition in his nearby car.
During a search of Jiang’s apartment, police discovered five copies of a letter, each signed by Jiang in ink, 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 (sic).”
Prince William County Police arrested Jiang on September 24, 2023, and has been in custody since then.
Jiang faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for June 18. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
