Thwarted temple shooting plan shakes Chicago-area Hindu community

Alexandros Paporakis, 19, fled the parking lot of the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora, Illinois, on Oct. 11, after the rifle he was holding failed to fire. Prosecutors said he had intended to shoot worshippers gathering for the start of the Navaratri festival. He was arrested later that day near his home in Palatine, Illinois, about 40 miles from the temple.

A co-worker at a Taco Bell location where Paporakis worked alerted authorities to his plan to kill Indian people. He now faces felony charges for making a terrorist threat and unlawfully possessing a firearm. He is scheduled to return to court on Friday morning. Authorities recovered weapons, ammunition, and a gas canister labeled with a slur referring to South Asians from his residence. They also found items depicting Nazi symbols and a long note in which he described fantasies of mass murder.

The incident has raised safety concerns for the region's South Asian population, which grew from more than 242,000 in 2010 to more than 337,000 in 2020. Asha Rao, executive director of the nonprofit The Chicago Kasam, described the community as appalled by the timing of the threat. She noted that the holiday season is traditionally a peaceful time for families to gather and celebrate. Some residents are now more hesitant to leave their homes, while others are looking for signs of disturbance to stay alert.

Local and congressional leaders are urging law enforcement to determine if the attack was a hate crime. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat representing the district where the temple is located, called on the FBI to investigate and prosecute the matter as a hate crime. Prosecutors said Paporakis identified himself as a white supremacist and neo-Nazi and used hateful language toward Indians and other minority groups.

The planned attack has amplified existing concerns about rising anti-South Asian sentiment. According to Stop AAPI Hate, the use of anti-South Asian slurs online increased by 109% between 2023 and 2025. Nearly half of all South Asian adults reported experiencing a hate act based on their race, ethnicity, or nationality in the past year. Rishab Chatty, who leads the Chicago chapter of Hindus for Human Rights, said that while such hatred was once confined to online spaces and schools, it is becoming more violent in physical settings.

Community members are determined to continue their traditions despite the incident. Avatans Kumar, a freelance columnist who occasionally attends the targeted temple, said the nine-night celebration of Navaratri culminates in Dussehra, followed by Diwali three weeks later. He observed that people are more vigilant this year but are still gathering for outdoor fairs and family events. Rao said the community is choosing to honor the holiday without fear, focusing on the resilience and connections that define their group.