Krishnamoorthi, who was inside Aurora temple during thwarted attack, urges FBI hate-crime prosecution

US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi has urged the FBI to investigate and prosecute as a hate crime the thwarted mass-shooting plot at the Sri Venkateswara Swami Balaji Temple in Aurora, Illinois, revealing he was worshipping inside with his parents on Sunday afternoon, unaware an armed man was waiting outside.

“Little did we know there was an attacker outside with sinister intent,” Krishnamoorthi said on Thursday. “This has really shaken us.” He told the Associated Press he had increased his personal security and called on the Trump administration to release federal non-profit security grants to bolster security at religious institutions.

At a Friday news conference in Chicago, Krishnamoorthi joined Hindu, Sikh and civic leaders who asked that the case be investigated as a hate crime, linking years of hostile online posts against Hindus and Indians to the violence. The Network Contagion Research Institute said anti-Indian posts on X tripled in weekly volume in 2025.

Police say Alexandros Paporakis, 19, drove to the temple on Sunday armed with a rifle and wearing body armour, but left after the weapon jammed. He was arrested near his Palatine home, faces felony charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawfully possessing a rifle, and was ordered held in detention on Wednesday. The temple has added armed security.

Sources:

• Goodreturns (PTI inputs, opened first-hand, 17 Oct 2026): https://www.goodreturns.in/news/aurora-illinois-hindu-temple-attack-plot-hate-social-media-investigation-011-1542139.html
• South China Morning Post (AP reporting, 16 Oct 2026): https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371096/chilling-details-emerge-mass-shooting-plot-targeting-us-hindu-temple