Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has spoken out after a 19-year-old man was arrested after police uncovered an alleged plan for a mass shooting that investigators believe may have targeted a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area. Alexandros Paporakis was arrested Sunday, October 11, and charged with making a terrorist threat, a Class X felony, and unlawfully possessing a rifle with a barrel shorter than 16 inches, a Class 3 felony.
“I am horrified that a white supremacist allegedly attempted to massacre Indian Americans at a Hindu temple in Aurora. This is where the poison of anti-Indian hatred and white supremacy can lead, and we cannot wait until innocent people are killed to take it seriously. I am grateful to the coworkers who sounded the alarm and the law enforcement officers who intervened,” Krishnamoorthy wrote on X.
“Every American deserves to live and worship without fear, and we must stand together against hatred in all its forms,” he added.
Allegations against Alexandros Paporakis
{{/usCountry}}“Every American deserves to live and worship without fear, and we must stand together against hatred in all its forms,” he added.
Allegations against Alexandros Paporakis
{{/usCountry}}Prosecutors said that Paporakis worked as a cashier at a Taco Bell in Arlington Heights for about seven months, per Fox32Chicago. A co-worker told investigators that the suspect often made disparaging comments about people of other races, particularly people from India. He allegedly openly identified as a white supremacist and frequently discussed Nazis and armed struggle.
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Paporakis allegedly told the co-worker on Saturday that he could not wait to kill Indian people. He even revealed his plans to attack the largest Hindu temple in Aurora, adding that he would use a large amount of ammunition. Another co-worker said Paporakis described the day he was planning as a "special day."
Paporakis told the first co-worker over a call the following afternoon that he allegedly said his gun had jammed and he had gotten out of there "super-fast." He then allegedly sent the co-worker a video showing an AR-style rifle failing to fire when the trigger was pulled. He even attached a photo of himself wearing a tactical vest. He then discussed possible fixes for the gun so he could "retry when I fix this," prosecutors said.
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The co-worker and another employee subsequently called 911. Palatine police located Paporakis at about 3:42 pm in a parking lot near his apartment in the 1300 block of North Baldwin Court.
Paporakis appeared Wednesday, October 14, at the Cook County Third Municipal District Courthouse in Rolling Meadows. There, a judge ordered that he be detained. His next court appearance is scheduled for 9 am Oct. 30 in Room 108 at the same courthouse.