Teen Charged After Alleged Plot to Attack Hindu Temple Near Chicago

A Taco Bell cashier's alleged plan for a mass shooting at a Hindu temple near Chicago was interrupted by a tip-off from a colleague, according to investigators. Alexandros Paporakis, 19, from Palatine, Illinois, appeared in court on Wednesday facing one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon. Paporakis reportedly sent a message about the planned attack to the co-worker on Sunday, who then alerted authorities, officials stated. Police discovered writings in which Paporakis identified as a white supremacist and expressed animosity towards non-white individuals. Palatine police chief William Nord indicated that they were informed about the mass shooting plot on Sunday by someone who received "concerning electronic communications" from Paporakis. "These communications played a vital role in bringing this matter to the attention of law enforcement," said Nord. According to CBS, the tipster had previously worked with Paporakis. Nord mentioned that a red Honda RDX registered to Paporakis was seen in the parking lot of a "known Hindu temple" in the suburb of Aurora around lunchtime on Sunday. The suspect allegedly attempted to open fire, but the weapon jammed, leading him to return home, where he lived with his mother. NBC Chicago reported that Paporakis informed his colleague via phone messages that his gun had jammed and that he left the scene "super-fast." Once at home, he reportedly searched online for ways to unjam his gun and contacted a colleague to express his intent to carry out a mass shooting. Officers later searched Paporakis' residence and discovered a rifle, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and body armor. Nord also stated that they found an eight-page document authored by Paporakis that contained "extremist ideologies" and outlined his plans for an attack. In these writings, he referred to himself as a "sociopathic white supremacist neo-Nazi," according to CBS. Police have interviewed Paporakis' mother, who was described as uncooperative. The Hindu temple identified by local media as the intended target reported that it had implemented new security measures following the incident. India's Ministry of External Affairs expressed that the event "adds to growing concerns over racist hostility and anti-India hate in the US." US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois expressed his horror at the incident in a Facebook statement, noting that he and his family worship at the temple and had been there the previous Sunday. The Chicago metropolitan area has one of the largest Indian-American populations in the US.