A 19-year-old suburban Chicago man is in custody after an alert from a co-worker thwarted an alleged mass shooting plot at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, law enforcement officials announced Thursday.
Alexandros Paporakis, of Palatine, was arrested Sunday and charged with felony counts of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a weapon. A Cook County judge ordered him held without bail Wednesday ahead of an Oct. 30 court appearance.
Gun malfunction prevented bloodshed, officials say
Investigators said Paporakis drove to the Aurora temple at lunchtime Sunday intending to open fire on worshippers. According to Palatine Police Chief William Nord, surveillance cameras captured the suspect’s vehicle pulling into the temple parking lot at 12:25 p.m. and departing just three minutes later after his rifle jammed.
Paporakis then returned to the Palatine residence he shares with his mother, where he went online to research how to clear the weapon, NBC Chicago reported. Authorities said he then contacted a colleague at the fast-food restaurant where he worked as a cashier, disclosing the attack attempt and stating his intent to try again.
The co-worker immediately notified law enforcement, leading officers from Palatine and neighboring Mount Prospect to apprehend Paporakis as he departed his home. “The public remains law enforcement’s greatest asset in disrupting acts of violence,” said Lucas Rothaar, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Chicago field office, thanking the colleague who stepped forward.
Evidence seized from suspect’s residence
During a court-authorized search of Paporakis’ home, investigators recovered an AR-style rifle lacking a serial number, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, loaded magazines, body armor and items featuring Nazi symbols. Officers also discovered a gas canister marked with an anti-South Asian slur.
Prosecutors said detectives located an eight-page document titled “Why I fought: A.K.A. (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto),” The Associated Press reported. In the text, Paporakis allegedly described himself as a white supremacist neo-Nazi fixated on mass murder and detailed plans to slaughter Indian, Jewish and Black individuals, whom he described with racial slurs. Prosecutors said the suspect claimed to have plotted the attack for two years using satellite imagery and online video.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the judge approved a healthcare order directing jail staff to provide Paporakis with medical care, including hormone injections for gender transition, along with treatments for depression, anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to NBC Chicago. Paporakis’ public defender cautioned that the statements from prosecutors remain unproven allegations that could shift as the legal process moves forward.
Community reacts to narrow escape
The Aurora temple, recognized as the largest Hindu house of worship in the area, announced on its website that it has implemented additional safety protocols, including an increased armed security presence.
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, said in a public statement that he and his family had been worshipping at the temple on Sunday during the timeframe of the planned attack. He praised the employee who contacted police and urged vigilance against white supremacist hatred.
The incident also drew international attention. India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that the averted violence added to rising concerns surrounding racist hostility targeting Indians in the United States.
Police noted that Paporakis’ mother was questioned by detectives but declined to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Authorities believe Paporakis acted alone, and prosecutors are continuing to prepare their case ahead of his late-October court date.
