Palatine teen arrested for alleged mass shooting plot that may have targeted Aurora Hindu temple

A 19-year-old Palatine man has been arrested after an investigation into threats involving a potential mass shooting that may have targeted a Hindu temple.

Palatine police said on Sunday afternoon, they were contacted by Mount Prospect police who said they had been tipped off to a possible mass shooting by someone who received "concerning electronic communications" from Alexandros Paporakis of Palatine.

Paporakis was arrested outside his home in the 1300-block of North Baldwin Court Sunday evening by Palatine and Mount Prospect police.

While searching his home, police said they found a rifle, multiple loaded rifle magazines, hundreds of additional rounds of rifle ammunition, tactical equipment, a tactical vest containing body armor and a patch with imagery associated with white supremacist extremism.

With help from the FBI, police said they were able to examine Paporakis' electronics and electronic communication, and said they found a manifesto containing white supremacist and extreme ideologies, including references to violence directed at South Asians, especially people of Indian descent.

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office charged Paporakis with one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon for possessing a rifle with a barrel less than 16 inches long, both felonies.

In court Wednesday, prosecutors said Paporakis' coworker told police he had openly talked about being a white supremacist at his job at Taco Bell, making disparaging comments about people of other races. The coworker also told police he had discussed Nazis and an armed struggle, and expressed a particular hatred toward people from India.

Prosecutors said on Saturday, Paporakis told a coworker he was planning "it" at the largest Hindu temple in Aurora, then told another coworker that Sunday "was going to be a special day."

Prosecutors said early Sunday afternoon Paporakis texted his coworker and asked him to call him. When he did, prosecutors said Paporakis told his coworker his gun jammed and "he got out of there 'super-fast.'" After the call, he sent the coworker messages on Signal showing an AR-style rifle, showing how the gun failed to fire when he pulled the trigger, and a photo of himself in a tactical vest, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors also said during this chat he sent the coworker a copy of his manifesto.

After they spoke over the phone, this coworker and another colleague called 911 to report the incident, prosecutors said.

Palatine police said the specific intended location in Paporakis' alleged threats has not been confirmed and an investigation into that remains open. The Aurora police were notified of the threat, who then coordinated outreach to Hindu places of worship in the area to make them aware.

A judge ordered Paporakis detained while awaiting trial.