A 19-year-old man has been charged in the US over an alleged plan to carry out a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, after his rifle reportedly failed to fire, according to authorities.
The Consulate General of India in Chicago on Wednesday welcomed the timely action taken by US law enforcement authorities following the arrest of Alexandros Paporakis.
In a statement, the Consulate said it was aware of reports concerning an alleged attempt to target a place of worship in Aurora and was closely monitoring developments while remaining in contact with members of the Indian diaspora.
“We appreciate the timely action by law enforcement authorities. We are in touch with members of the Indian diaspora and are closely monitoring developments,” the Consulate said.
Co-worker alerted police
According to the Palatine Police Department, the investigation began on October 11 after Mount Prospect police received information about a potential mass shooting from an individual who had received concerning electronic communications from Paporakis.
Prosecutors said Paporakis had told the co-worker that he went to a Hindu temple on Saturday intending to carry out an attack, but his rifle did not fire when he pulled the trigger. He then fled the scene.
The co-worker alerted police after receiving messages from Paporakis, who allegedly also shared a photograph of himself wearing a tactical vest and an eight-page document outlining his extremist views.
Weapons and ammunition found
Police arrested Paporakis as he was leaving his residence in Palatine. A subsequent search of his home uncovered a rifle, multiple loaded rifle magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, tactical equipment and other items believed to be relevant to the investigation.
Authorities also recovered a tactical vest containing body armour and a patch displaying imagery associated with white supremacist extremism.
Investigators examined electronic communications and a document attributed to Paporakis titled “Why I Fought: A.K.A.: (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto)”.
According to police, the document contained white supremacist and extremist views, including references to violence against people of South Asian heritage, particularly those of Indian descent.
Detectives believe Paporakis may have been planning an attack on October 11, potentially targeting a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area.
Charges and court proceedings
Paporakis was charged with one count of making a terrorist threat, a Class X felony, and one count of unlawful possession of weapons, according to police.
He appeared at a detention hearing on Wednesday, where a judge ordered him detained.
Palatine police said they had coordinated outreach to Hindu places of worship in the area to alert them to the information. The investigation also involved assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Authorities have not announced any further court developments. Paporakis remains accused of the offences, and the allegations have yet to be tested at trial.
With inputs from Agencies