Police say they thwarted ‘potential active shooter’ outside church in Virginia

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.”

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.

Read more: ABC News