PALATINE, Illinois — Police in suburban Chicago say they stopped a planned mass shooting at a Hindu temple after the suspect’s rifle jammed and a co-worker tipped off authorities, leading to the arrest of a 19-year-old man who prosecutors say openly identified as a white supremacist.
Alexandros Paporakis, of Palatine, was arrested on Sunday, October 11, as he left his home, in a coordinated operation by the Mount Prospect and Palatine police departments. He now faces felony charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawfully possessing weapons, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
A tip from a co-worker
The investigation began after Paporakis’s co-workers at a Taco Bell in Arlington Heights, where he worked as a cashier, reported disturbing messages and conversations to police.
- Co-workers told investigators Paporakis openly identified as a white supremacist at work and made repeated disparaging remarks about people of Indian descent.
- Prosecutors say he told a co-worker he could not wait to kill Indian people and was planning an attack at the largest Hindu temple in Aurora, about 70 kilometres from Chicago.
- Another co-worker said Paporakis described that Sunday as going to be “a special day.”
Palatine police said they were alerted on Sunday afternoon by Mount Prospect police, who had received the report of concerning electronic communications, including photos of a rifle, magazines, body armour and other tactical gear.
The jammed rifle
Prosecutors say that earlier on Sunday, Paporakis called a co-worker and said his gun had jammed when he pulled the trigger, and that he had fled the scene “super fast” without being seen. He allegedly sent the co-worker a video showing an AR-style rifle failing to fire, along with a photo of himself wearing a tactical vest, and discussed fixing the weapon so he could try again.
Investigators believe he may have planned to carry out the attack that day. Police have cautioned, however, that the specific intended location has not been confirmed and remains under investigation. Aurora police have notified Hindu temples in the area about the threat, and the FBI is assisting with the examination of his electronic devices.
Manifesto and weapons found at his home
Prosecutors allege Paporakis sent his co-worker an eight-page document he wrote, titled “Why I fought: A.K.A. (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto),” which described Indian, Jewish and Black people as “subhumans” and set out a plan to kill as many people as possible, according to a court document obtained by the Associated Press.
A search of his home found:
- An AR-style rifle with no serial number and a barrel shorter than 16 inches
- Multiple loaded magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition
- Body armour and a tactical vest bearing white supremacist extremist designs
- A gas canister labelled with a slur targeting South Asians
“The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated,” Palatine Police Chief William Nord said, adding that protecting places of worship is a law enforcement priority.
Charges and reaction
Paporakis appeared in court in Rolling Meadows on Wednesday, where a judge ordered him detained. Making a terrorist threat is a Class X felony in Illinois; the weapons charge, involving the short-barrelled rifle, is a Class 3 felony. He is due back in court on October 30. It was not immediately clear whether he has legal representation.
U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi condemned the anti-Indian hate behind the alleged plot.
The charges against Paporakis are allegations. He has not been convicted of any offence, and the investigation is continuing.
Reporting based on statements from the Palatine Police Department and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, via the Associated Press and CNN.
