WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Alexandros Paporakis was arrested after allegedly attempting to carry out a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois.
  • Police said his firearm jammed, and a coworker alerted authorities after receiving concerning communications about the alleged plan.
  • Investigators recovered a modified rifle, 300 rounds of ammunition, body armor, gasoline cans, swastikas, and an alleged manifesto.
  • A Cook County judge ordered Paporakis held without bond on gun charges and an accusation of making a terrorist threat.

A 19 year old trans identified man was arrested in Illinois over the weekend after allegedly plotting a mass shooting at a Hindu temple. Police said the suspect reached the crowded location with a firearm, but the weapon jammed when he attempted to open fire.

Authorities identified the suspect as Alexandros Paporakis. Police said he drove from his mother’s home in Palatine to the Hindu Temple in southwest suburban Aurora on Sunday while armed and intending to attack those inside.

According to authorities, Paporakis wanted to “kill a significant number of Indians.” The temple was filled with people when he arrived, turning the alleged plot into a potentially devastating threat before the malfunctioning gun stopped the planned attack.

Investigators said Paporakis possessed a modified rifle in the AR style, approximately 300 rounds of ammunition, body armor, gasoline cans, and swastikas. After the firearm jammed, police said he left the temple and drove home.

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Authorities said Paporakis then “searched the internet trying to learn how to unjam his gun & called a colleague informing them of (his) intent to carry out a mass shooting.” That communication would quickly bring law enforcement into the picture.

A coworker told police that he had received concerning communications from Paporakis that day. The report prompted authorities to obtain a search warrant and begin tracking the suspect before he could allegedly return to the temple.

Police identified a red Acura registered to Paporakis after receiving the tip. Surveillance footage showed the suspect entering the temple parking lot at approximately 12:25 pm and leaving three minutes later.

Investigators later observed Paporakis driving to his mother’s residence. Officers arrested him before he could return to the temple, according to the account provided by authorities.

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Investigators also recovered what they believe was a manifesto written by Paporakis, who referred to himself as the “Aurora shooter.” The writings “expressed words of hate, violence, superior race, and mass shooting of Indian people,” according to investigators.

The writings expressed hatred toward African Americans, Indians, Jewish People, and “non-white” people. Investigators said Paporakis “expressed pleasure calling himself a sociopathic white supremacist Neo-Nazi filled with hatred, fantasizing about mass murder nearly every day.”

Paporakis faces gun charges and is accused of making a terrorist threat. A Cook County judge ordered him held without bond and also placed a healthcare order on the 19-year-old.

The judge noted that Paporakis is being treated for ADHD, depression, and anxiety. The court was also told that he is receiving cross sex hormones for a sex change.

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NBC Chicago referred to Paporakis as “he” despite his identifying as trans.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat representing Illinois’ 8th congressional district in the US House, attended the temple with his family on the day the shooting was allegedly planned.

Krishnamoorthi said, “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. 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.”

The arrest followed the coworker’s warning, the identification of the red Acura, and surveillance footage placing Paporakis in the temple parking lot. Police took him into custody before authorities said he could make another attempt to reach the temple.

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