Suspect arrested after attempted shooting at Chicago-area Hindu temple amid rising online hate

Police arrested Alexandros Paporakis, 19, on Wednesday after he drove to the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora, Illinois, on Sunday afternoon carrying a rifle and body armor. He remained in the parking lot for several minutes before leaving when his weapon jammed, and was later taken into custody near his home in Palatine after a co-worker reported his plan to "kill Indian people."

The temple, the largest in Aurora, was crowded with worshippers observing the first day of Navaratri, a nine-night celebration of Shakti. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who was inside the temple with his parents, said the incident "shook" him and called for a hate-crime investigation.

At a news conference, Krishnamoorthi and other faith and civic leaders urged authorities to treat the attempted mass shooting as a hate crime and to develop a coordinated community response to prevent future incidents.

Pushpita Prasad, spokesperson for the Coalition of Hindus of North America, said anti-Hindu and anti-Indian hate has been increasing online, with slurs targeting appearance, food and cultural practices. She warned that such online hostility can eventually manifest in real-world violence.

Recent incidents cited include brick-throwing at a Hindu temple in Ohio, gunfire at a temple in Utah, and disparaging comments about a Hanuman statue in Texas. In Frisco, Texas, public comments have labeled the Indian community as "invaders" and accused H-1B visa holders of wrongdoing.

Temple administrators announced added security measures, including an armed security presence. Krishnamoorthi described the temple as a cultural hub for the Chicago area, serving as a venue for events and a popular South Indian cafeteria.

He called on the FBI to prosecute the case as a hate crime and urged social-media platforms to curb hateful rhetoric, adding that domestic violent extremism should be a priority over election fraud and immigration issues.

Joel Finkelstein of the Network Contagion Research Institute noted that anti-Indian content on X tripled in weekly volume in 2025, coinciding with changes to immigration policy. He said the South Asian community lacks sufficient resources to advocate effectively.

Sravya Tadepalli, executive director of Hindus for Human Rights, emphasized that hateful rhetoric can lead to violence, while Manjusha P. Kulkarni of Stop AAPI Hate reported a 109% rise in online slurs targeting South Asians from 2023 to 2025.

Pardeep Kaleka, whose father was killed in the 2012 Sikh temple shooting in Wisconsin, said attackers often feel hopeless and aim to spread terror by targeting sacred spaces. He advocated for candid cross-community dialogue to reduce division.