A man accused of plotting a mass shooting at a Haymarket megachurch last year has been found competent to stand trial on federal hate crime charges.
U.S. District Judge Rossie Alston set an Oct. 21 trial date for Rui Jiang of Falls Church after holding a competency hearing Wednesday in federal court in Alexandria, the Associated Press reported.
“Alston had placed the case on hold earlier this year and ordered the competency hearing. The findings of his competency evaluation are under seal, but Alston ruled after Wednesday’s hearing that Jiang could stand trial,” the AP said.
Jiang, 35, is charged with “attempting to obstruct the congregants of the Park Valley Church in Haymarket, Virginia, in the free exercise of their religious beliefs,” according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
“The indictment charged that his attempted act involved a dangerous weapon and an attempt to kill, and included both a threats count and a firearms violation,” the release said.
According to court documents, Jiang began posting online threats against the Park Valley Church on the evening of Sept. 23, 2023. On the morning of Sept. 24, police began searching for Jiang in response to a concerned citizen’s call about his online posts.
Police officers located Jiang at the front entrance to the church while Sunday services were underway.
Jiang was armed with a semiautomatic handgun and two full magazines of ammunition, court documents show.
During a search of Jiang’s apartment, police discovered five copies of a letter, each signed, 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. May your tears not be cried in vain, but to celebrate how your loved ones had lived,” according to the release.
Jiang was arrested and detained by Prince William County police on Sept. 24.
If convicted, Jiang faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
After his arrest in September, Prince William police charged Jiang with threats of bodily harm and carrying a dangerous weapon to a place of religious worship.
In December, they placed an additional charge of attempted aggravated murder of multiple persons.
Jiang remains held without bond at the Prince William-Manassas regional jail.
Park Valley is a non-denominational church with a congregation of more than 1,500 members.
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