How Police Uncovered the Alleged Plan
Authorities identified the suspect as Alexandros Paporakis, who police arrested in Palatine, a suburb of Chicago, on Sunday. A video of the arrest has circulated online, showing officers surrounding him as he sits on the road before handcuffing him and taking him into custody.
According to prosecutors cited by the Associated Press, Paporakis’s co-workers at Taco Bell received messages containing a document that described an alleged mass shooting plan. The messages also included photographs of tactical equipment.
Breaking: Video of police arresting 19-year old white supremacist who planned a mass shooting targeting Indians at a Hindu temple in Illinois https://t.co/dbthGxYw9c
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) October 15, 2026
The co-workers reportedly told investigators that Paporakis identified himself as a white supremacist at work and expressed a desire to kill Indian people. He had allegedly told them that Sunday would be “a special day”.
Weapons and Extremist Items Found at Home
Prosecutors said Paporakis called a co-worker earlier on Sunday and claimed that his gun had jammed. He allegedly said he had quickly left the location without being seen.
The information prompted the Palatine and Mount Prospect police departments to coordinate their search. Officers eventually arrested Paporakis as he left his home on Sunday afternoon.
During a search of his residence, detectives recovered an AR-style rifle without a serial number, loaded magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, according to police and prosecutors.
Investigators also found a tactical vest with body armour, a patch associated with white supremacist extremism, a gas canister bearing a slur against South Asians and items displaying Nazi symbolism.
Authorities believe the alleged plan targeted a Hindu temple in Aurora, approximately 65 kilometres southwest of Palatine. The Illinois Hindu temple shooting plot investigation highlights how reports from co-workers can help authorities identify potential threats and intervene.
FAQs
Q: Who was arrested in the Illinois Hindu temple shooting plot?
A: Authorities arrested 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis in Palatine, Illinois.
Q: Which temple did the alleged plan target?
A: Investigators believe the alleged plan targeted a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois.
Q: How did police learn about the Illinois Hindu temple shooting plot?
A: The suspect’s co-workers alerted authorities after receiving disturbing messages and a document describing an alleged shooting plan.
Q: What did investigators reportedly find at his home?
A: Police reported finding an AR-style rifle, ammunition, loaded magazines, tactical equipment and items displaying extremist