'Dangerous Anti-Indian Hatred': Congressman Says He Was At Aurora Temple During Foiled Mass Shooting Plot

AURORA, IL — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-8th) and his family were at their Hindu temple in Aurora Sunday when a 19-year-old Palatine man was attempting to carry out a mass shooting plot, he said Thursday.

Authorities identified Alexandros Paporakis, 19, as the suspect and took him into custody Sunday evening. Mount Prospect and Palatine police were able to disrupt his plans after a coworker of the teen brought the alleged threat to investigators' attention.

"I'm grateful to those who helped prevent a tragedy, but we must come together to confront the hatred that put so many innocent lives at risk," Krishnamoorthi wrote on X.

RELATED: Teen's Mass Shooting Plot At Hindu Temple Thwarted After Coworker Warns Police: FBI

The investigation began shortly after 3:30 p.m. Sunday, when Mount Prospect police contacted Palatine police about information received from a person who reported concerning electronic communications from Paporakis.

According to investigators, Paporakis shared a document outlining an alleged mass shooting plan, along with images depicting a rifle, rifle magazines, body armor and tactical equipment.

Investigators confirmed Paporakis's red Acura RDX entered the temple's parking lot around 12:25 p.m. Oct. 11 and left around 12:38 p.m., Patch reported. Authorities declined to identify the temple publicly.

An eight-page document attributed to Paporakis suggested he had been planning an attack for some time, according to police. Investigators are still trying to determine why Oct. 11 was significant to him and are working to corroborate details in the document.

RELATED: Palatine Teen Charged In Alleged Mass Shooting Plan Targeting Hindu Worship Site

Some accounts of the alleged mass shooting plot suggested Paporakis' rifle malfunctioned, which authorities have not confirmed. Information about a possible malfunction came from a communication to an associate and a video that possibly showed the gun jamming, but it was unclear whether the video was recorded in a parking lot, at a residence or inside a vehicle.

Paporakis, of the 1300 block of North Baldwin Court in Palatine, faces two felony charges, one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of unlawful possession of a rifle with a barrel shorter than 16 inches. He was ordered detained Wednesday.

"I am horrified that a white supremacist attempted to carry out a mass shooting targeting Indian Americans at the Hindu temple in Aurora where my family worships," Krishnamoorthi said in a statement Thursday. "My family and I were there when the attack was attempted last Sunday.

"The threat of such violence shows how dangerous anti-Indian hatred and white supremacy have become, and we cannot wait until innocent people are killed to take these threats seriously," the congressman's statement continues. "I am grateful to the suspect's coworkers who alerted police and commend the law enforcement officers who intervened. Every American deserves to live and worship without fear, and we must stand together against hatred in all its forms."