Illinois Man Charged Over Jammed Rifle at Aurora Hindu Temple

A rifle malfunction prevented a planned shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, on Oct. 11, according to prosecutors. Alexandros Paporakis, 19, entered the parking lot of the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple during the start of the Navaratri festival. He sat in his vehicle but did not exit to fire the weapon. The rifle jammed, forcing him to flee the site before releasing a shot.

Law enforcement officers located Paporakis later that same day. They arrested him near his residence in Palatine, Illinois, which is approximately 40 miles from the temple. A co-worker at a Taco Bell reported the incident to police. The employee alerted authorities to Paporakis’ stated plan to “kill Indian people,” according to court documents.

Paporakis now faces two felony counts. The first is for making a terrorist threat. The second is for unlawfully possessing a firearm. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday morning. Prosecutors noted that Paporakis identified himself as a white supremacist and a neo-Nazi. He used specific slurs and hateful language to describe Indian people and other minority groups during the investigation.

Investigators seized several items from Paporakis’ home after the arrest. The recovered items included weapons and ammunition. Officers also found a gas canister labeled with a slur targeting South Asians. The search yielded multiple items featuring Nazi symbols. Paporakis wrote a lengthy note found during the raid. In the document, he described fantasies of mass murder and expressed a desire to kill as many non-white people as possible.

The incident has altered the rhythm of the local South Asian community ahead of major holidays. Navaratri is a nine-day celebration ending in Dussehra. Diwali, the largest Hindu holiday, arrives roughly three weeks after that. Asha Rao, executive director of The Chicago Kasam, said the timing of the threat disrupted a period usually dedicated to family gatherings. “A lot of us are just really appalled and just kind of disgusted,” Rao said. She described the season as a time for the community to celebrate safely with loved ones.

Avatans Kumar, a freelance columnist who occasionally visits the targeted temple, noted a shift in community behavior. People are now more vigilant while attending events. Kumar said individuals are watching for signs of disturbance and keeping their senses alert. Rao added that some community members felt hesitant to leave their homes for celebrations. However, she observed a renewed resolve to honor traditions despite the threat.

Local and federal leaders are pushing for a formal hate crime investigation. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat representing the district containing the temple, called on the FBI to investigate the matter. He urged prosecutors to treat the case as a hate crime if evidence supports that classification. Rishab Chatty, who leads the Chicago chapter of Hindus for Human Rights, stated that hatred toward Hindus is becoming more violent. He noted that such bias was previously confined to online spaces and schools but is now manifesting in physical aggression.

Data suggests a rising trend in anti-South Asian sentiment. Stop AAPI Hate reported that online slurs against South Asians increased by 109% between 2023 and 2025. Nearly half of South Asian adults in the U.S. said they experienced a hate act based on race, ethnicity, or nationality last year. The South Asian American Policy and Research Institute tracked population growth in Illinois. The state’s South Asian population rose from more than 242,000 in 2010 to more than 337,000 in 2020. This group now constitutes about 2.5% of the state’s total population.