Aurora Hindu Temple Shooting Plot: Lawmakers React
On Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, prosecutors say, 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis of Palatine, Illinois, drove to the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora intending to open fire, but his AR-style rifle jammed and he drove home, texting a co-worker that he would "retry when I fix this." Co-workers called police, and he was arrested that day. Prosecutors say an eight-page manifesto called non-white people "subhumans" and singled out people of Indian descent, that he had planned a mass shooting for two years and had targeted the temple for two months, and that a search of his apartment turned up a rifle, 300 rounds of ammunition, a gas can and Nazi materials. He is charged with making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a short-barreled rifle and was ordered detained; police say he acted alone. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, whose family worships at the temple, said he and his family were there when the attack was attempted, warned that anti-Indian hatred and white supremacy "have become" dangerous, and said the Trump administration "is fanning the flames." Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Ro Khanna also condemned the plot.
“[Statement:] I am horrified that a white supremacist attempted to carry out a mass shooting targeting Indian Americans at the Hindu temple in Aurora where my family worships. My family and I were there when the attack was attempted last Sunday. … The threat of such violence shows how dangerous anti-Indian hatred and white supremacy have become … we cannot wait until innocent people are killed to take these threats seriously. … Every American deserves to live and worship without fear.”