A car registered to Alexandros Paporakis, a 19-year-old Greek-American, accused of planning a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, a suburb of Chicago, entered the building’s parking lot on Sunday, hours before he was arrested near his home. Paporakis told a colleague that he had to leave because his gun jammed and nobody could see him. But his red Acura RDX, which is registered to his name, was recorded to hav entered a temple parking lot on Sunday around 12.55pm and left less than 15 minutes later. He was seen alone inside the car around 2 p.m. near his home in another suburb.Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora issued a statement after it was clear that the temple was the target.“We are deeply troubled by the events of Sunday, 11th October. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and a potentially disastrous incident was averted. The safety and well-being of our community remain our highest priority. We are working closely with the police department to better understand the circumstances.We are committed to responding thoughtfully and communicating responsibly. We have implemented additional security measures effective immediately, including increased armed security presence at the Temple from 9 am to 9 pm,” the temple authorities said.
Paporakis’ mother not cooperating with the investigation: New details
The colleague with whom Paprakis shared his plan, along with an eight-page document, tipped off the police, leading to his arrest. In the document, he used racial slurs to describe non-white people and wanted to kill as many as possible. He described himself as a white supremacist and a neo Naxi who fantasized about mass murder and considered Indians subhuman.Papirakis’ mother was questioned but she was not cooperating with the investigation. “This case is in the earliest stage of what will likely be a lengthy process,” the office of the Cook County Public Defender, which is representing Paporakis, said in a statement emailed to the AP. “We would remind the public that statements made by police and prosecutors are only allegations and that cases can change significantly as they continue to be investigated.”
