Current:Home > InvestPolice say they thwarted 'potential active shooter' outside church in Virginia -Elevate Capital Network
Police say they thwarted 'potential active shooter' outside church in Virginia
TradeEdge Exchange View
Date:2025-04-09 02:29:18
A Virginia man was arrested at a church after allegedly being found inside with a loaded semi-automatic pistol with an additional magazine, a folding knife and a folding "credit card"-style knife, according to police.
Fairfax County police arrested 35-year-old Rui Jiang after becoming tipped off by a Maryland woman who called Anne Arundel Police to report that Jiang allegedly made suspicious posts that inlcuded "vague threats" on Instagram, according to the police report.
Fairfax Police Chief Kevin Davis said, "This was a thwarted diabolical plot to kill churchgoers in Haymarket, Virginia, and local law enforcement stopped it.”
MORE: 10 dead, 10 wounded in mass shooting in Monterey Park, California, with suspect found dead
Anne Arundel Police alerted Fairfax Couty police that Jiang allegedly made threats against the Park Valley Church in Haymarket, Virginia,
"In the postings, vague threats of violence were made, some of which included images of a location later determined to be Park Valley Church," Prince William County police said.
Police were able to quickly locate Jiang's assumed residence in Falls Church, Virginia, but found he wasn't home, according to the police report.
As the investigation continued, Fairfax County police contacted Prince William County police and an off-duty, uniformed Prince William County police officer who was working an assignment at the Park Valley Church located the car outside, police said.
Police at the church identified a suspicious person who they later identified as Jiang. He was detained after entering the building through a separate door.
No one was injured during the incident however, Fairfax County Police say they later discovered Jiang's "disturbing" "kill manifesto," at his home. However, police did not describe what was found in the alleged document.
Jiang was charged with threats of bodily harm and carrying a dangerous weapon in a place of religious worship.
Jiang's bond hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning, it wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney who could comment.
Prince William County police have asked anyone with information leading up to this incident, please call 703-792-7000.
veryGood! (987)
Related
- Scoot flight from Singapore to Wuhan turns back after 'technical issue' detected
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
- Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Former Danish minister for Greenland discusses Trump's push to acquire island
- Meet the volunteers risking their lives to deliver Christmas gifts to children in Haiti
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
Ranking
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
- South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- Bill Belichick's salary at North Carolina: School releases football coach's contract details
- NFL Week 15 picks straight up and against spread: Bills, Lions put No. 1 seed hopes on line
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
Recommendation
The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order
Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor
Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams