Self-proclaimed ‘white supremacist’ Illinois teen allegedly plotted to massacre ‘subhuman’ Hindus, says he dreams of mass murder
The alleged eight-page manifesto described the teen as a white supremacist with strong hatred towards Indians.
U.S. authorities arrested a 19-year-old Taco Bell employee in Palatine, Illinois, who allegedly plotted to massacre Hindus at a place of worship, only for the plan to be foiled when his gun failed to fire. A manifesto believed to belong to the teen was later recovered by authorities and allegedly described his dreams of committing mass murder.
Alexandros Paporakis is facing felony charges for one count of unlawful possession of a weapon and one count of making a terroristic threat, authorities announced on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. The arrest came after Paporakis’ co-workers notified authorities of receiving concerning messages on Signal from the teen, which allegedly included photos of Paporakis in tactical gear, an AR-style rifle, and a document that detailed plans for a mass shooting.
Authorities believe Paporakis intended to carry out the alleged massacre on Sunday afternoon after a co-worker reported being told by him that it was going to be “a special day.” Authorities suspect he planned to execute the attack alone and at a large Hindu temple located in Aurora, Illinois. They are still investigating the actual target location.
Authorities recovered items depicting white supremacy in Illinois teen’s home
Paporakis’ alleged mass shooting plot, which could have easily resulted in the death of many, was supposedly thwarted when his gun got “jammed” before making a “super fast” escape to avoid being seen, the teen told his co-worker, the prosecutors said. According to surveillance footage, Paporakis’ car reportedly entered the temple parking lot at 12:25pm and exited at 12:38pm before he returned to Palatine.
Authorities believe Paporakis would attempt the alleged attack again, which was reportedly two years in the making, prompting the Palatine and Mount Prospect police departments to quickly mobilize together to locate and arrest Paporakis at his home the same day. Palatine Police Department Chief William Nord stated, “The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated,” adding that safeguarding places of worship is a top priority for law enforcement.
A search in Paporakis’ home led authorities to recover an AR-style rifle bearing no serial number, tactical equipment, multiple loaded magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Other items discovered include a gas canister with slurs directed at South Asians and multiple items associated with Nazi symbolism and white supremacist extremism, prosecutors said.
Authorities reportedly found an eight-page manifesto believed to belong to Paporakis, titled “Why I fought: A.K.A. (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto).” In the document, which also contained photos, Paporakis described himself as a “sociopathic white supremacist Neo Nazi filled with hatred, fantasizing about mass murder nearly every day.”
Prosecutors say Paporakis has mental health issues
The alleged manifesto also outlined Paporakis’ plot to kill as many Jewish, African American, and Indian people, whom he described as “subhumans,” as possible, per the court document obtained by the Associated Press. The document, in particular, highlighted Paporakis’ hatred for Indians.
Paporakis had been living in Palatine with his mother for around a year and hadn’t had an encounter with either Palatine or Mount Prospect police before the alleged attack. When questioned about her son, Paporakis’ mother refused to cooperate with the investigation, authorities said.
John Cohen, the former Intel Chief at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said Paporakis’ co-worker suspected something was wrong with the teen, per ABC7. “What we have actually found is that in almost every case, an individual who is planning an attack will exhibit behaviors,” Cohen said. “Either online or in the physical world, that represent an articulation of intent to engage in violence.”
Prosecutors, on the other hand, claimed Paporakis has mental and emotional health issues and had been off prescribed medication. They also condemned his mother for her lack of action to prevent the attack. “We need to do a better job educating the public on what to look for and what to report,” Cohen said. “We need to do a better job and provide more resources to localities so that they can rapidly take steps to prevent the shooting from occurring.”
Meanwhile, Paporakis will remain in police custody until his trial, with his next court appearance scheduled for Oct. 30.
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