Illinois police say suspect drove to Hindu temple before arrest in mass-shooting plot
A 19-year-old charged with planning a mass shooting entered the parking lot of a suburban Chicago Hindu temple hours before being arrested near his home, authorities said.
Illinois police said a 19-year-old man, Alexandros Paporakis, drove a red Acura RDX into the parking lot of the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora around 12:25 p.m. on Sunday and left less than 15 minutes later. He was later seen near his home in Palatine, where officers arrested him after receiving a tip about his alleged plan to attack the temple.
Paporakis faces felony charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a rifle. Prosecutors said coworkers at a Taco Bell called 911 after he told them he “couldn’t wait to kill Indian people” and that Sunday would be a “special day.” A search of his residence uncovered an AR-style rifle without a serial number, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a gas canister labeled with a slur against South Asians, a tactical vest and a Nazi-symbol patch.
Temple officials confirmed the incident as a security threat and announced an immediate increase in armed security at the site. “Please know that the safety of our devotees, employees and volunteers is our highest priority, and we have implemented additional security measures effective immediately,” the temple said.
U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who visited the temple on Sunday, said the suspect’s AR-15 jammed, preventing a massacre. He urged the FBI to investigate the case as a hate crime and called on the federal government to release security grants for religious institutions.
Aurora Mayor John Laesch said police are reaching out to other temples in the area to ensure they have contact numbers for law-enforcement assistance. The Cook County Public Defender’s office reminded the public that the statements from police and prosecutors are allegations and that the case is in its early stages. A judge ordered Paporakis to remain in detention, with the next hearing set for Oct. 30.
The incident adds to a pattern of threats against South Asian communities in the United States, according to Stop AAPI Hate. Co-founder Manjusha Kulkarni said the thwarted plot does not eliminate the fear felt by Hindu, Indian and South Asian people after years of rising hate incidents.