Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Illinois) said Thursday that he and his family were worshiping at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, on Sunday when an alleged white supremacist attempted a mass shooting. Krishnamoorthi said the suspect was targeting Indian Americans.
“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,” Krishnamoorthi said in a statement posted on X.
In a statement, the Village of Palatine — a suburb about 30 miles from Chicago — said Palatine police, working alongside the Mount Prospect Police Department, which serves a neighboring suburb, arrested a 19-year-old Palatine man identified as Alexandros Paporakis on Sunday. Paporakis was arrested following a tip and an investigation into threats about a potential mass shooting.
“The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated,” Palatine Police Chief William Nord said in a statement. “We are grateful for the FBI’s assistance in the subsequent investigation and commend the individual who initially came forward with this information.
In a statement Thursday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) said he was “appalled by the attempted mass shooting targeting Indian Americans at a Hindu place of worship in Illinois,” and that his thoughts are with Krishnamoorthi and his family.
“The disturbing rise of targeted, vile and bigoted hate against our South Asian communities shocks the conscience,” Jeffries said. “Every American should have the right to freely exercise their religion and to pray in peace.”
According to police, Paporakis had drafted a manifesto outlining an alleged plan to carry out a mass shooting. Paporakis also shared images online of a rifle, rifle magazines, body armor and other tactical equipment.
During their investigation, police searched the man’s residence and found a rifle, rifle magazines, hundreds of rounds of rifle ammunition and a tactical vest with a patch displaying white supremacist imagery. The FBI’s Chicago Field Office assisted with the investigation.
“Based on information developed during the investigation, detectives believe Paporakis may have been planning to carry out an attack on Sunday, October 11, potentially targeting a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area,” the Palatine Police said in a statement shared on Facebook on Wednesday.
Per the statement, Aurora police contacted to Hindu places of worship in their jurisdiction to inform them about the investigation and alleged threats.
Paporakis has been charged with one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of unlawful possession of weapons. He appeared for a detention hearing on Wednesday, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 30.
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