CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, OCTOBER 15 2026 (NBC News): A tip from a coworker helped thwart an alleged mass shooting plot targeting a Hindu temple in the western suburbs, authorities said Thursday, with law enforcement praising a “single, courageous individual” whose report led to the arrest of a 19-year-old Palatine man accused of planning the attack. “The public remains law enforcement’s greatest asset in disrupting acts of violence,” FBI Chicago Field Office acting special agent in charge Lucas Rothaar said during a news conference Thursday. Rothaar, along with members of the Palatine Police Department, said Thursday that 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis, of Palatine, drove to a well-known Hindu temple in Aurora with the intent to open fire. After his rifle malfunctioned, he drove back home, police said. A concerned coworker reported to Mount Prospect Police that they had received suspicious communications that day about Paporakis, leading law enforcement to obtain a search warrant and arrest Paporakis before he could return to the scene.

Authorities say the 19-year-old was one malfunctioning rifle away from becoming a mass shooter. His alleged target was the largest Hindu temple in southwest suburban Aurora. On Sunday, the sprawling place of worship was filled with people and filled with joy-when police say a young man showed up “to kill a significant number of Indians,” police say. Investigators say they found a manifesto apparently written by the teenager-who called himself the “Aurora Shooter.” The writings “expressed words of hate, violence, superior race and mass shooting of Indian people. His hatred was against Jewish people, African-Americans, Indians, and “non-white” people.” The chairman of the Hindu temple in Aurora tells our team that thankfully they already have a robust security presence, and he’s praising suburban police for foiling the threat against their place of worship.

More at source.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/details-emerge-as-brave-individual-helps-foil-alleged-mass-shooting-plot-at-suburban-hindu-temple/4002942/

video report:
https://www.nbcchicago.com/video/news/local/jammed-rifle-concerned-coworker-helped-thwart-possible-suburban-mass-shooting/4002710/

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