A 19-year-old Palatine man faces felony charges after authorities investigated threats that may have targeted a Hindu place of worship.
PALATINE, IL — A 19-year-old Palatine man has been arrested and ordered detained after police said they uncovered an alleged plan for a mass shooting that may have targeted a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area.
Alexandros Paporakis faces one count of making a terrorist threat, a Class X felony, and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon involving a rifle with a barrel shorter than 16 inches, a Class 3 felony, according to Palatine police. Investigators said the case began Sunday, Oct. 11, after Mount Prospect police received information from a person who had been sent concerning electronic communications. Authorities have not publicly confirmed the specific place of worship that may have been targeted.
Police said the communications included a document describing an alleged mass shooting plan, along with images of a rifle, rifle magazines, body armor and other tactical equipment. Investigators said Paporakis was taken into custody Sunday evening as he was leaving his home in the 1300 block of North Baldwin Court in Palatine. Officers from Palatine and Mount Prospect were involved in the arrest.
A search of the home led investigators to recover a rifle, multiple loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, body armor and items displaying Nazi or white supremacist imagery, according to police and court records cited by several Chicago-area news organizations. Police said investigators also recovered writings expressing white supremacist and extremist views, including hostility toward people of South Asian and Indian descent.
Authorities said the writings described violence against minority groups and referred to a planned attack in the Aurora area. Prosecutors allege Paporakis had discussed killing people and had been considering an attack for an extended period. The allegations contained in police statements and court filings have not been proven in court, and investigators have continued working to determine the full scope of the alleged plan.
According to court records reported by NBC Chicago and ABC7 Chicago, investigators allege Paporakis traveled toward an Aurora-area location Sunday with a rifle, ammunition and tactical equipment. The records allege the weapon malfunctioned during an attempted shooting and that Paporakis later communicated with a co-worker about the gun and his intentions. That co-worker’s report became a key part of the chain of information that reached law enforcement, according to the reports.
Palatine police have described the potential target more cautiously, saying investigators believe Paporakis may have been preparing an attack that could have involved a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area. The specific intended location had not been publicly confirmed as of Thursday morning. The distinction is significant because some reports have identified a particular temple, while the publicly released police account has not established that location as the intended target.
A Cook County judge ordered Paporakis detained while the criminal case proceeds. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 30, according to court information reported by local news organizations. The charges concern the alleged threat and weapons possession; additional allegations described by investigators remain part of an ongoing inquiry. A defense attorney has emphasized in media reports that statements by police and prosecutors are allegations and may change as the investigation develops.
The FBI’s Chicago field office is working with local authorities on the investigation. Palatine police and federal investigators scheduled a Thursday morning news conference to provide additional information about the case. Authorities have said the investigation remains active, and further charges could be considered depending on the evidence developed.
The case has also drawn concern from members of the Chicago area’s Hindu and Indian American communities. Public officials responding to the allegations said people should be able to worship without fear of violence. Investigators, meanwhile, have credited the reporting of concerning communications with allowing police to intervene before an alleged attack could be carried out.
As of Thursday morning, Paporakis remained in custody and no shooting or mass-casualty attack had occurred. Police had not publicly identified a confirmed specific Aurora house of worship as the intended target, and the Palatine Police Department and FBI were expected to release additional details as the investigation continued.
Author note: Last updated October 15, 2026.