Traditional Hindu place of worship in Chicago. Photo: Shutterstock A 19-year-old man from Palatine, Illinois, has been arrested and charged following an investigation into an alleged plan to carry out a mass shooting, with authorities believing a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area may have been a potential target.
Alexandros Paporakis was taken into custody on the evening of October 11, according to the Palatine Police Department. Investigators say the case began when Mount Prospect police received information from an individual who reported receiving concerning electronic communications from the teenager.
According to police, Paporakis had shared a document outlining an alleged shooting plan, along with images of a rifle, magazines, body armor and other tactical equipment.
Officers from Palatine and Mount Prospect coordinated their response and located the suspect as he was leaving his residence in Palatine. Detectives later searched the property and recovered a rifle, multiple loaded magazines, hundreds of additional rounds of ammunition and tactical equipment.
Among the items seized was a tactical vest containing body armor and a patch displaying imagery associated with white supremacist extremism, police said.
The investigation continued with assistance from the FBI's Chicago Field Office. Detectives examined electronic communications and a document attributed to Paporakis titled “Why I Fought: A.K.A.: (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto).”
Authorities said the document contained white supremacist and extremist statements, including references to violence against people of South Asian heritage, particularly those of Indian descent.
Based on the evidence gathered so far, investigators believe an attack may have been planned for October 11 and could have targeted a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area. Police said the specific location has not been confirmed and remains under investigation.
Aurora police were notified and coordinated outreach to Hindu places of worship in their jurisdiction to inform them of the potential threat.
Following consultation with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Paporakis was charged with one count of making a terrorist threat, a Class X felony, and one count of unlawful possession of a rifle with a barrel shorter than 16 inches, a Class 3 felony.
He appeared at a detention hearing on October 14 at the Cook County Third Municipal District Courthouse in Rolling Meadows. A judge ordered him detained. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 30 at 9 a.m.
The investigation remains active, and authorities are reviewing whether additional charges may be appropriate. Police said they have not identified any known ongoing threat to the public connected to the incident.
Palatine Police Chief William Nord credited the coordinated response and the individual who first reported the information, saying cooperation between local departments helped officers identify and arrest the suspect. FBI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Ryan Whalen also emphasized the importance of cooperation between federal and local law enforcement.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Palatine Police Department at 847-359-9000.