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submitted 1 year ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

Investigators said they were able to stop the potential massacre at Park Valley Church in Haymarket thanks to someone who saw troubling posts on Instagram and called police

Authorities arrested a man who they say was minutes away from carrying out a mass shooting at a church in Northern Virginia on Sunday morning.

Rui Jiang, 35, was taken into custody with a loaded gun and extra ammo at Park Valley Church in Haymarket. Authorities said he was on a mission to kill.

“This was a thwarted diabolical plot to kill churchgoers in Haymarket, Virginia … and local law enforcement stopped it,” Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department said.

“Minutes. Minutes. The congregation was making their way into the church. He was in the vestibule of the church about to enter,” Davis said. “So, minutes or seconds away.”

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[-] Transcendant@lemmy.world 303 points 1 year ago

“Quite frankly, we've just been thanking God. You know, God’s been so good to us, and he protected us,

Never fails to amaze me how someone can completely disregard the hard work and sacrifice of other human beings and instead praise an imaginary skyguy.

[-] Fredselfish@lemmy.world 83 points 1 year ago

Same imaginary skygod who put them in harms way to begin with. Never did understand.

[-] tburkhol@lemmy.world 23 points 1 year ago

No, no: that's the other skyguy. We're like the kids in a bitter divorce, constantly bounced between a good parent and a bad parent, with no actual agency. Except to thank good skyguy, otherwise they might not protect us from bad skyguy next time.

Skyguy whims sometimes feel arbitrary and capricious, but there's divine or diabolical intent, which means it's way better than being lost to the randomness of chaotic but determinate natural forces. How terrifying would the world be if stuff just happened for no reason?

[-] jaybone@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago

I think you mean undergroundguy

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[-] JustZ@lemmy.world 42 points 1 year ago

Seriously. Not alert citizens. Not technology. Not good policework. Dog.

Unreal these morons.

[-] CoolMatt@lemmy.world 24 points 1 year ago
[-] iamtrashman1312@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

Not the person you're responding to, but I'd thank any given dog before I thanked any given god, so why not

Dogs like being praised and talking to imaginary friends is a sign of mental illness so I agree.

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[-] bobman@unilem.org 42 points 1 year ago

Weird how they never thank god for the successful attacks.

[-] loutr@sh.itjust.works 23 points 1 year ago

Exactly, if God prevented this attack, it means he wanted the successful ones to take place. He really works in mysterious ways...

[-] RogueBanana@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 year ago

Dramas get boring when nothing bad happens. Hes just making our lives a bit interesting and sometimes end it all.

[-] Meowoem@sh.itjust.works -1 points 1 year ago

But also he would know for sure that heaven exists so the fact he saves some people should be seen as an insult, survive near death a few times? God really doesn't want to hang out with you

[-] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

They didn't pray hard enough.

[-] Cold_Brew_Enema@lemmy.world 33 points 1 year ago

Yep I can't stand this. What about the little girl who dies of cancer? God didn't feel like protecting her?

Fuck off

[-] Saneless@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago

Well, if he's consistent with his behavior in the Bible, it's not that he failed to protect her. He killed her himself

[-] Delusional@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

And if all those people were shot up, you can be damn sure they wouldn't be saying it's thanks to God. Mass of idiots.

[-] AstridWipenaugh@lemmy.world 33 points 1 year ago

Man, I know a woman who got COVID bad and got a double lung transplant. Not a word about any of her doctors or other care staff that kept her alive while on a ventilator for 6 month. Not even a mention once. But it was constant "look at the power of prayer" and "thank the good lord for my recovery" and shit like that.

[-] CaptFeather@lemm.ee 16 points 1 year ago

Which is hilarious considering how many "good Christians" died for refusing the vaccine. Confirmation bias in action!

[-] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Even when I was a theist I still made a point of thanking doctors and nurses. Everyone can get credit.

[-] Tedesche@lemmy.world 31 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It's a mistake to dismiss religious people as stupid, but they really make it hard not to sometimes.

[-] Piecemakers3Dprints@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

That's an odd way to spell "natural reflex", but it's close.

[-] Tedesche@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Because they're not stupid; or at least, that's not why they're religious. Sadly, religious indoctrination can affect even brilliant minds.

[-] Furbag@lemmy.world 25 points 1 year ago

God, when he fails to prevent all the other mass shootings that happened in places of worship:

"Lol that was part of my plan, too."

[-] RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

"That's not a plan! You're just a jerk!" -Jerry

[-] TechyDad@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

I inka dinka binka bonka understood this reference.

[-] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 6 points 1 year ago

"Why does God's plan involve so many priests molesting alter boys?"

[-] vivadanang@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago
[-] mack7400@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

And what does God need with a starship?

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

I mean, it is a church. I think it's stupid, but it's not like it's a car dealership. What do you think they're going to say?

[-] nulluser@programming.dev 15 points 1 year ago

Repoter: So, the police arrested a gunman moments away from shooting up your dealership. What are your thoughts?

Dealer: It was wild. Absolutely crazy.... Almost as crazy as ThEse CraZy deAls We'vE GoT RigHt nOW. JUst cHeCk Out ThE PriCe oN ThiS '88 MaliBu. It'S CrAaaaZy!

[-] Transcendant@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago
[-] theyoyomaster@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

In his actual statement he thanked the police and everyone involved. NBC Washington felt that only the snippet thanking God was worth reporting.

[-] Transcendant@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Thanks for clarifying

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this post was submitted on 27 Sep 2023
380 points (98.0% liked)

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