US teen arrested over alleged mass shooting plot targeting Hindu worshippers
What Happened
US authorities arrested 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis on October 11 over an alleged mass-shooting plot that investigators say may have targeted a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora, Illinois area. Prosecutors allege he travelled toward the target with an AR-style rifle, ammunition and tactical equipment, but the firearm jammed and he fled. A coworker subsequently alerted authorities. Police said a search recovered a rifle, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, body armour and material associated with white-supremacist extremism. Investigators also said a document attributed to Paporakis contained extremist rhetoric and references to violence against people of South Asian heritage, particularly Indians.
Key Takeaways
Paporakis faces charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful weapons possession and has been ordered detained. Temples and devotees are asked to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity, while the Consulate General of India in Chicago said it was monitoring developments and was in touch with the Indian diaspora.