US Hindu temple alleged mass shooting plot: Who is Alexandros Paporakis and how a jammed rifle may have foiled his horrifying plan

A malfunctioning rifle and an alarming message to a colleague may have helped stop a planned act of violence at a Hindu place of worship in the US, after authorities arrested a 19-year-old accused of preparing for a possible mass shooting.

Alexandros Paporakis, a resident of Palatine, an upscale suburb in the Chicago region of Illinois, was arrested on October 11 after police received information about concerning electronic communications attributed to him. Investigators allege that he held white supremacist views and had been preparing for an attack in Aurora, about 40 miles (65 km) southwest of Palatine. The intended target was believed to be a Hindu place of worship, although the specific location remains unconfirmed.

Paporakis faces two felony charges: making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a firearm. The latter relates to a weapon with a barrel shorter than 16 inches. The allegations have not yet been proved in court, and the investigation continues with FBI assistance.

Who is Alexandros Paporakis?

Paporakis, 19, lived in Palatine and reportedly worked as a cashier at a Taco Bell restaurant in Arlington Heights for around seven months before his arrest.

According to prosecutors, he had expressed white supremacist beliefs at work and made racist remarks about people from different racial backgrounds, particularly Indians. Co-workers had also reportedly heard him discussing Nazi ideology and violence.

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Investigators examined electronic communications and a document attributed to him titled Why I Fought: A.K.A.: (Aurora Shooter's Manifesto). Police said the document contained white supremacist and extremist views, including references to violence against people of South Asian heritage, particularly those of Indian descent.

Prosecutors allege that Paporakis told a colleague he wanted to attack Indian people and was preparing to do so. He reportedly identified the largest Hindu temple in Aurora as his intended target and described Sunday as a special day.

How did the alleged attack plan fail?

According to prosecutors, Paporakis travelled to the Aurora area on October 11 carrying a rifle and tactical equipment. The alleged plan appears to have been disrupted when the firearm failed to discharge.

Investigators allege that he subsequently left the location and returned home. He then searched online for ways to repair the malfunctioning rifle and contacted a colleague about the problem.

During the exchange, he reportedly shared a video showing the rifle failing to fire, along with a photograph of himself wearing a tactical vest and the manifesto attributed to him.

The communications alarmed his colleague, who contacted emergency services. Information provided by the Mount Prospect Police Department helped authorities follow up on the case, with Palatine and Mount Prospect police working together to locate and arrest Paporakis.

Police said detectives searched his residence under a warrant and recovered a rifle, several loaded rifle magazines and hundreds of additional rounds of ammunition. They also found a tactical vest containing body armour and a patch displaying imagery associated with white supremacist extremism.

Authorities believe the planned attack could have occurred on October 11. However, investigators have not established the precise place of worship that may have been targeted.

What charges will Paporakis face?

Following consultations with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Paporakis was charged with making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a firearm. The weapons charge concerns a firearm with a barrel shorter than 16 inches.

He appeared at a detention hearing on October 14, 2026, after which a judge ordered him held in custody. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 30.

The FBI is assisting with the investigation. The allegations remain subject to judicial proceedings.

The case comes amid concerns raised by human rights advocates over rising hostility towards South Asians in the US, which they have linked to factors including anti-immigration rhetoric and policies, as well as the spread of white supremacist ideology.