A 19-year-old suburban Chicago man, Alexandros Paporakis, was arrested before carrying out a planned mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, officials said Thursday.
Police and FBI investigators said the suspect intended to attack the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple, located about 40 miles west of Chicago. The temple confirmed receiving a security threat notice. At Paporakis's home, authorities found a rifle, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, tactical gear, Nazi symbols, and a gas can labeled with an anti-Indian slur.
Paporakis, who worked as a cashier at a Taco Bell, had texted a co-worker about his white supremacist views and shooting plot. On Sunday, he called the co-worker to report his AR-style rifle had malfunctioned at the scene. The co-worker alerted 911, leading to his arrest.
He faces felony charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful weapons possession. His mother and Taco Bell colleagues declined to comment. The incident reflects a recent rise in attacks against South Asians in the U.S., including temple vandalism near Cleveland and controversial social media posts by government agencies.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing