US News
Prosecutors allege Illinois man planned attack on Aurora Hindu temple
Associated Press reports that prosecutors say Alexandros Paporakis fled a Hindu temple parking lot after his rifle jammed, and he faces felony charges.
The short version
- Prosecutors allege 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis sat with a rifle in the parking lot of an Aurora, Illinois, Hindu temple on October 11 before fleeing when the weapon jammed.[Associated Press]
- A co-worker at a Taco Bell alerted authorities, and Paporakis was arrested later that day near his Palatine home; prosecutors say he planned to kill Indian people.[Associated Press]
- Paporakis faces felony terrorist threat and firearm charges; prosecutors describe him as a white supremacist and neo-Nazi, and authorities reported recovering weapons and Nazi-symbol items from his home.[Associated Press]
- Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has asked the FBI to investigate as a hate crime, but the reporting does not say whether a federal probe has been opened.[Associated Press]
Key facts
- Prosecutors said Paporakis showed up at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora, Illinois, on October 11 and fled without firing after his rifle jammed.[Associated Press]
- Paporakis, 19, was arrested later that day near his home in Palatine, Illinois, after a Taco Bell co-worker alerted authorities to his plan to kill Indian people, according to prosecutors.[Associated Press]
- Paporakis faces felony charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawfully possessing a firearm, and is due in court on a Friday morning.[Associated Press]
- Prosecutors said Paporakis described himself as a white supremacist and neo-Nazi who used slurs against Indians and other minority groups.[Associated Press]
- U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat whose district includes the targeted temple, called on the FBI to investigate and prosecute the matter as a hate crime.[Associated Press]
- After Paporakis's arrest, authorities said they recovered weapons, ammunition, a gas canister labeled with a slur for South Asians, and items depicting Nazi symbols from his home.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- The allegations, including the planned attack and the suspect's stated views, are prosecutors' accounts and have not been tested in court.[Associated Press]
- The reporting does not say whether the FBI has opened an investigation or whether the case will be prosecuted as a hate crime.[Associated Press]
- The outcome of Paporakis's scheduled Friday court appearance is not reported.[Associated Press]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.
- Chicago-area Hindu community shaken but resilient after alleged mass shooting plan was thwartedAssociated Press · Wire: associated-press