PALATINE, IL — A 19-year-old Palatine man was ordered detained Wednesday after authorities accused him of making a terrorist threat involving an alleged mass shooting plan that investigators believe may have targeted a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area.
Alexandros Paporakis faces one count of making a terrorist threat, a Class X felony, and one count of unlawful possession of a rifle with a barrel shorter than 16 inches, a Class 3 felony, according to the Palatine Police Department.
Investigators believe Paporakis may have been planning an attack for Sunday, Oct. 11, but the specific intended location has not been confirmed. Authorities said they have not identified any known ongoing threat to the public associated with the case.
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.
Officers from both departments coordinated a response and took Paporakis into custody that evening as he was leaving his residence in the 1300 block of North Baldwin Court.
Detectives subsequently executed a search warrant at the residence, recovering a rifle, multiple loaded rifle magazines, hundreds of additional rounds of rifle ammunition and tactical equipment, police said.
Among the items was a tactical vest containing body armor and a patch displaying imagery associated with white supremacist extremism, according to the department.
With assistance from the FBI's Chicago Field Office, detectives examined electronic communications and a document attributed to Paporakis that expressed white supremacist and extremist ideologies, including references to violence against people of South Asian heritage, particularly those of Indian descent.
Palatine and Mount Prospect police notified Aurora police of the potential threat. Aurora police then contacted Hindu places of worship in their jurisdiction to share the information.
"The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated," Palatine Police Chief William Nord said in the release. "Through the immediate sharing of information and coordinated response by the Palatine and Mount Prospect Police Departments, officers were able to identify and take the suspect into custody."
Nord thanked the person who reported the communications and the FBI for its assistance.
"Protecting our communities and places of worship remains a priority, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners as this investigation moves forward," he said.
FBI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Ryan Whalen also credited the departments' response.
"Thanks to the swift action by the Palatine and Mount Prospect Police Departments, the subject was taken into custody without harm to our community," Whalen said.
Following consultation with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Paporakis was charged and appeared for a detention hearing Wednesday at the Cook County Third Municipal District Courthouse in Rolling Meadows. A judge ordered him detained.
His next court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30, in Room 108 at the same courthouse.
Palatine police continue to work with the FBI, including reviewing potential additional charges. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Palatine Police Department at 847-359-9000.
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