Teen Arrested in Plot to Attack Chicago-Area Hindu Temple
Authorities thwarted a potential mass shooting after a tip from co-workers led to the arrest of a 19-year-old suspect.
Police in Palatine, Illinois, announced Wednesday the arrest of a 19-year-old man accused of plotting a mass shooting targeting a Hindu place of worship. The suspect, Alexandros Paporakis, faces felony charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawfully possessing weapons.
Investigators believe Paporakis planned to target a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, though the exact intended location is still under investigation. His co-workers alerted authorities after receiving concerning digital communications from him, including a document outlining his alleged plan and photos of tactical gear. Paporakis openly identified as a white supremacist at work and expressed hatred toward Indian people, according to prosecutors.
Authorities apprehended Paporakis on Sunday, the same day detectives believe he may have intended to carry out the attack. He had allegedly told co-workers that Sunday was going to be “a special day” and later called one co-worker to say his gun had jammed, causing him to leave quickly and unseen.
During a search of Paporakis’s home, law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle without a serial number, loaded magazines and ammunition, a gas canister marked with a slur targeting South Asians, and several items displaying Nazi symbolism. Prosecutors also revealed that Paporakis allegedly sent a co-worker an eight-page document titled, “Why I fought: A.K.A. (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto).” This document reportedly described Indian, Jewish, and African American people as “subhumans” and detailed a plot to kill as many as possible. Paporakis allegedly described himself in the manifesto as “a sociopathic white supremacist Neo Nazi filled with hatred, fantasizing about mass murder nearly every day.”
Palatine Police Chief William Nord stated, “The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated,” emphasizing that protecting places of worship is a law enforcement priority. A judge ordered Paporakis to remain in jail pretrial, with his next court appearance scheduled for October 30.