Daijiworld Media Network - Chicago
Chicago, Oct 16: Authorities in Illinois believe a 19-year-old man accused of planning a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in suburban Chicago visited its parking lot hours before his arrest, prompting the temple to strengthen security measures.
Alexandros Paporakis was arrested on Sunday after police received a tip about an alleged attack plan. Authorities announced his arrest on Wednesday and provided further details at a news conference on Thursday.
Palatine Police Chief William Nord said a red Acura RDX registered to Paporakis entered the parking lot of Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple around 12.25 pm on Sunday and left less than 15 minutes later. The suspect was reportedly seen alone in the vehicle near his home in another suburb around 2 pm.
Paporakis faces felony charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawfully possessing a rifle. According to prosecutors, his co-workers at a Taco Bell outlet called 911 after he allegedly told them he “couldn’t wait to kill Indian people” and described Sunday as the “special day.”
The temple, located in Aurora around 40 miles west of downtown Chicago, said it was in contact with police and had introduced additional security measures.
“The safety of our devotees, employees and volunteers is our highest priority,” the temple said in a statement, announcing an increased armed security presence.
US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who represents Illinois’ 8th congressional district, said he had visited the temple on Sunday without knowing about the alleged threat.
He told The Associated Press that the suspect’s AR-15-style weapon had jammed, preventing the alleged attack from being carried out. Krishnamoorthi said he had increased his own security following the incident and urged the FBI to investigate the case as a hate crime. He also called on the Trump administration to release federal security grants for religious institutions.
Aurora Mayor John Laesch said police were contacting other temples in the area to inform them about the threat and ensure they had contact details for reporting security concerns.
According to prosecutors, Paporakis allegedly told a co-worker on Sunday afternoon that his gun had jammed and that he had left quickly, but would “retry.” He also reportedly sent the co-worker a video showing an AR-style rifle and a photograph of himself wearing a tactical vest.
Prosecutors further alleged that he shared an eight-page document containing racial slurs against non-white people and outlining a plan to kill as many of them as possible. The document reportedly described him as a white supremacist and neo-Nazi who fantasised about mass murder.
Police arrested Paporakis later that day near his home in Palatine, about 40 miles northeast of the temple. A search of his home reportedly uncovered an AR-style rifle without a serial number, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a gas canister bearing a slur against South Asians, a tactical vest and a patch depicting Nazi symbolism.
Police said Paporakis’ mother had been questioned but was not cooperating with the investigation.
A judge ordered him to remain in detention at a court appearance on Wednesday. His next hearing is scheduled for October 30.
The Cook County Public Defender’s office, which represents Paporakis, said the case was at an early stage and that allegations made by police and prosecutors should not be treated as established facts.
The incident has renewed concerns about threats against Indian and other South Asian communities in the United States. Stop AAPI Hate, a national reporting centre for anti-Asian hate incidents, said online slurs and threats against South Asians had increased significantly.
The organisation’s co-founder, Manjusha Kulkarni, welcomed the prevention of the alleged attack but said the incident had added to the fear experienced by Hindu, Indian and South Asian communities.
The temple was celebrating Navratri, a Hindu festival observed over nine days. Kulkarni said the festival should be a time of celebration and unity rather than fear and hatred.