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A 19-year-old transgender man who authorities say identified as a neo-Nazi allegedly planned a mass shooting at a Hindu temple outside Chicago, but a tip from a colleague helped authorities thwart the attack, police say.
Alexandros Paporakis, of Palatine, was arrested Sunday after allegedly plotting to open fire on a Hindu temple in Aurora, a Chicago suburb, Palatine police announced at a news conference Thursday.
Paporakis faces one count of terroristic threatening and one count of illegal possession of a weapon.
A Cook County judge ordered Paporakis held without bail and placed a jail health care order, saying the teen receives hormone injections for gender transition and is treated for ADHD, depression and anxiety, according to NBC Chicago.
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Alexandros Paporakis, of Palatine, was arrested Sunday after allegedly plotting to open fire on a Hindu temple in Aurora. (Palatine Font)
Prosecutors say Paporakis went to the Hindu temple in Aurora armed with a modified rifle and about 300 rounds of ammunition and equipped with body armor and other tactical gear. Authorities said Paporakis intended to shoot, but returned home after the rifle malfunctioned.
Once he arrived home, the suspect searched the Internet to try to find out how to unlock the gun and allegedly called a co-worker to inform him of his plans to carry out a mass shooting, according to police.
Paporakis’ co-workers at Taco Bell reported to Mount Prospect police that they had received a suspicious message from Paporakis that day, leading police to obtain a search warrant and arrest Paporakis before the suspect could return to the scene to carry out the alleged attack.
Authorities praised those who reported the threat and encouraged those who discover something suspicious to report it to law enforcement.
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Authorities praised the informant and encouraged others who discover something suspicious to report it to law enforcement. (Google Maps)
“I want to congratulate and offer my most sincere personal thanks to the individual who has come forward during numerous successful law enforcement disruptions and possible acts of violence or terrorist attacks. He is a unique and courageous member of the public who has come forward to prevent the attacks,” Lucas Rothaar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office, said Thursday at a news conference.
Police said they identified a red Acura registered to Paporakis after receiving the tip. Surveillance video showed the suspect in the vehicle entering the Hindu temple parking lot at 12:25 p.m. before exiting a few minutes later.
Paporakis was then observed going to a residence on Rand Road in Palatine shared with the suspect’s mother. Police executed a search warrant and found a rifle, a loaded magazine, hundreds of rifle rounds and other tactical equipment in Paporakis’ possession.
Police also found what they described as an eight-page manifesto, which authorities said detailed the alleged attack and Paporakis’ white supremacist views.
The writings “expressed hatred, violence, racial superiority, and mass shootings against the Indian people.” (Paporakis’) hatred was directed against Jewish people, African-Americans, Indians and ‘non-whites,’ according to police. Paporakis described them as “subhuman” and planned to kill as many as possible.
Co-workers at Taco Bell reported to police that they received a suspicious message from the suspect that day. (Photo by Duane Prokop/Getty Images for Taco Bell)
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Police said the suspect “expressed pleasure in calling himself a sociopathic, white supremacist, hate-filled neo-Nazi who fantasizes about mass murders almost every day.”
The manifesto also referred to Paporakis as the “Aurora shooter.”
A judge ruled that Paporakis will remain in jail, with the next court appearance scheduled for October 30.
The temple said it was aware of the recent security threat and had increased security.
“Please know that the safety of our congregants, employees and volunteers is our top priority, and we have implemented additional security measures effective immediately, including an increased armed security presence at the Temple and are taking additional steps to ensure a continued safe environment for everyone at the Temple,” the temple said in a message on its website.
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