US man plots mass shooting at Hindu temple, fails when gun jammed

• A 19-year-old, Alexandros Paporakis, allegedly attempted to carry out a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, but his rifle reportedly jammed

• Police arrested the suspected white supremacist after he allegedly confessed to the attempted attack. Officers recovered a rifle, loaded magazines, ammunition and body armour from his home

• Prosecutors allege his eight-page manifesto contained threats against Indians, Hindus and other minorities. He faces charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful weapons possession and remains in custody until 30 October

A suspected mass shooting targeting a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, was thwarted after the alleged attacker’s rifle reportedly jammed, preventing him from opening fire, according to US authorities. The 19-year-old suspect, who allegedly described himself as a “white supremacist Neo Nazi”, was arrested following a tip from a co-worker.

The suspect, identified as Alexandros Paporakis, appeared in court on Wednesday (local time) and was charged with making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of weapons, according to authorities. A judge ordered him to remain in custody until October 30, when he is scheduled to appear in court again.

Investigators allege that Paporakis had planned the attack for approximately two years and produced an eight-page document containing racist threats against people of Indian descent, Hindus and other minority communities.

The incident has raised concerns among Hindu communities in the Chicago area, prompting police to notify temples in and around Aurora about the reported threat.

According to prosecutors, Paporakis told a co-worker that he had gone to a Hindu temple in Aurora on Saturday intending to carry out a mass shooting.

Aurora is located approximately 70 kilometres from Chicago and has three Hindu temples. Authorities have not publicly identified the specific temple that was allegedly targeted.

During a phone conversation with the co-worker on Sunday, Paporakis allegedly admitted that he had attempted to fire his rifle but that the weapon failed to discharge when he pulled the trigger.

According to prosecutors, he said the rifle had jammed and that he fled the scene “superfast”.

The co-worker, whose identity has not been disclosed, contacted police in Mount Prospect after receiving a text message from Paporakis asking for a call. The information was subsequently passed on to authorities in Palatine, leading to his arrest.

Paporakis was arrested outside his home in Palatine, approximately 60 kilometres from Chicago, on Sunday.

During a search of the residence, police recovered a rifle, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and body armour, Palatine police chief William Nord said.

Authorities also reported that the body armour featured designs associated with white supremacist extremism.

“The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated,” Nord said.

Police said investigators worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to access the suspect’s electronic devices and communications as part of the investigation.

The recovered materials, along with the suspect’s alleged statements and writings, are being examined as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the attempted attack.

According to court documents, Paporakis sent his co-worker a photograph of himself wearing a tactical vest, along with an eight-page document titled “Why I Fought: A.K.A.: (Aurora Shooter's Manifesto)”.

Prosecutors allege that the document contained racist statements targeting people of Indian descent and a Hindu temple. It also reportedly expressed hatred towards Jewish people, African Americans and other non-white communities.

Court filings quoted the suspect as describing himself as a “sociopathic white supremacist Neo Nazi filled with hatred”.

According to prosecutors, he wrote that he intended to kill as many members of minority communities as possible before dying himself.

The document also allegedly contained references to mass killings and outlined the suspect’s extremist views and violent intentions.

Police chief Nord said investigators found references to extremist ideologies and violence in the writings.

“Reading through the manifesto, he did state some extremist ideologies and talked about violence; he talked about mass killings and how he wanted to carry out this mass shooting,” Nord said.

Authorities allege that Paporakis had been planning the attack for two years. The claims form part of the prosecution’s case and have yet to be established through a trial.

The case came to light after Paporakis contacted his co-worker by text message on Sunday and asked for a phone call, prosecutors said.

During the conversation, he allegedly disclosed that he had attempted to carry out the shooting the previous day but had been unable to fire his weapon.

The co-worker subsequently alerted police in Mount Prospect, who relayed the information to Palatine authorities.

Police arrested Paporakis outside his home later that day. Investigators then searched the residence and examined his electronic communications and other materials.

Authorities said the co-worker also reported that Paporakis had been behaving manically over the weekend.

Prosecutors have raised concerns about the suspect’s possible mental health issues, although no definitive medical findings were detailed in the information released about the case.

Police said Paporakis lived with his mother, who had been unable to prevent him from purchasing a weapon.

Following the reported threat, police notified the three Hindu temples in Aurora and other temples in the surrounding area.

The alleged targeting of a Hindu place of worship, alongside the reported racist content in the suspect’s writings, has heightened concerns about the safety of religious minorities and the threat posed by extremist violence.

Authorities have not publicly disclosed the identity of the temple allegedly targeted or detailed whether additional security measures have been introduced at specific locations.

Investigators are continuing to examine the suspect’s communications, the recovered weapons and ammunition, and the alleged manifesto to establish the full extent of the planning and any potential wider threat.

Paporakis appeared before a county court in Rolling Meadows on Wednesday, where he faced charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of weapons.

The judge ordered that he remain in custody until October 30, the date of his next scheduled court appearance.

The investigation is ongoing, and the allegations against Paporakis have not yet been proven in court.

Authorities say the co-worker’s decision to alert police played a crucial role in identifying the alleged threat and bringing the suspect into custody before any reported shooting could take place.

With IANS inputs