A 19-year-old Illinois man is facing terror charges after allegedly attempting a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois.
Alexandros Paporakis of Palatine is accused of entering the temple’s parking lot during an important Hindu festival before his gun reportedly jammed.
Paporakis faces charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a weapon following his arrest at his Palatine apartment.
More than a dozen local leaders held a “stand against hate” rally on Friday, calling for federal charges in connection with the alleged plot.
US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi was among the worshippers inside the temple when investigators say Paporakis entered the parking lot on the first day of the festival.
Krishnamoorthi became emotional while standing with local officials to denounce the violence during a press conference on Friday, saying he did not know how the shooter’s gun jammed.
Krishnamoorthi also said he did not learn about the alleged plot until Wednesday, several days after the incident occurred last Sunday.
Officials at Balaji Temple confirmed it was their location that was targeted, on the first day of an important Hindu festival observed by worshippers gathered there.
Investigators identified a red Honda RDX registered to Paporakis entering the parking lot of a “known Hindu temple” in Aurora at 12:25 p.m. local time on Sunday, exiting approximately 13 minutes later.
A coworker at a Taco Bell in Arlington Heights alerted Mount Prospect police after Paporakis allegedly sent text messages describing his failed attempt to carry out the attack.
According to prosecutors, Paporakis sent photos of an AR-style rifle and himself wearing a tactical vest during an extended Signal conversation with the coworker who ultimately contacted police.
Investigators say Paporakis had an AR-style rifle, 300 rounds of ammunition, and stated he intended to kill as many minorities as possible.
Paporakis allegedly penned an eight-page manifesto using racially charged slurs, specifically targeting people of Indian descent at a Hindu house of worship.
In the manifesto, Paporakis identified as “a sociopathic white supremacist Neo Nazi filled with hatred, fantasizing about mass murder nearly every day,” according to court records.
Prosecutors say Paporakis spent two years planning a mass shooting and had been targeting a Hindu worship centre in Aurora for approximately two months.
A coworker told investigators that Paporakis regularly made disparaging comments about people of other races, particularly people from India, and openly identified as a white supremacist.
Palatine police arrested Paporakis at his apartment and recovered an AR-style rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and additional tactical gear.
Paporakis was ordered detained during an initial court hearing on Wednesday, and members of the Chicago-area South Asian community are now calling for greater action against hate crimes.