A co-worker’s alert to police and a malfunctioning rifle reportedly helped law enforcement agencies foil a 19-year-old man’s alleged mass shooting plot, targeting a Hindu temple in Illinois, US.
The alleged target was the largest Hindu temple in southwest suburban Aurora. Investigators also found a gas canister labelled with a slur targeting South Asians, along with several items bearing Nazi symbols. Alexandros Paporakis, a resident of Palatine, a suburb of Chicago, was arrested on Sunday, October 11, after the Mount Prospect Police Department alerted Palatine police to information about a potential mass shooting, according to the Palatine Police Department. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 30.
Authorities allege that Paporakis travelled to the temple intending to “kill a significant number of Indians”, NBC Chicago reported, according to a newly filed court record. “The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated,” Palatine Police Chief William Nord said, adding that protecting places of worship remains a priority for law enforcement. During a search of Paporakis’s home, detectives recovered an AR-style rifle without a serial number, loaded magazines, ammunition and tactical gear, police and prosecutors said.
A judge ruled on Wednesday that Paporakis would remain in custody while awaiting trial.
The investigation was triggered after a co-worker reported receiving concerning electronic communications from Paporakis, Reuters reported. The messages reportedly included a document outlining an alleged mass shooting plan and photographs of tactical equipment.
Paporakis allegedly sent a co-worker an eight-page document titled “Why I fought: A.K.A. (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto)”, according to a court document obtained by AP.
