Washington, Oct 15 — Lawmakers from both parties in the United States condemned the attempted mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, as the Justice Department’s civil rights chief said her office would review the case.
Rep. Rich McCormick, a Georgia Republican and co-chair of the House India Caucus, said: “The plot to massacre innocent Americans at a Hindu temple is unequivocally wrong. Violence toward anyone based on a religion, political orientation, or race is evil. The freedom to worship without fear is a fundamental American right.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, said: “Americans are outraged by this planned mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Illinois. We must stand together—and strong—against white supremacist hate and violence targeted at temples, synagogues, churches and mosques.”
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon wrote on X on Wednesday: “Concerning. @CivilRights will review/investigate.” She shared a report headlined “Palatine man, 19, plotted mass shooting at Hindu place of worship, police say.”
The FBI’s Chicago field office said Alexandros Paporakis was taken into custody “after local law enforcement received information about a potential mass shooting,” following a coordinated investigation by the Palatine Police Department, the Mount Prospect Police Department and FBI Chicago. Paporakis, 19, was ordered held on October 14.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, said he and his family were worshipping at the temple on Sunday when “a white supremacist attempted a mass shooting targeting Indian Americans.” In an earlier post, he said: “This is where the poison of anti-Indian hatred and white supremacy can lead, and we cannot wait until innocent people are killed to take it seriously.”
India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, said: “The attempted mass shooting at the Hindu temple in Aurora is deeply disturbing. Racist violence including anti-Hindu and anti-India hate has no place in a civilized society.”
Aurora Alderwoman Shweta Baid said in a statement quoted by ABC7 Chicago and FOX 32: “I am deeply saddened by the news of the reported attempted shooting targeting devotees at the Hindu temple in Aurora. No one should ever feel unsafe while practicing their faith or gathering in a place of worship or anywhere. Such threats are unacceptable and have no place in our community.”
The Hindu American Foundation, citing the latest reporting, said the “heavily armed gunman was already at the Hindu temple and attempted to start shooting, but the gun jammed.” Earlier, HAF said police had reportedly recovered a rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and body armour. [
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), which described the suspect as “a 19-year-old white supremacist,” said: “This frightening attack is part of a rising wave of Hinduphobia and the latest in several attacks on a temple.” It said the community had faced “a dozen plus attacks of varying intensity since 2022,” including gunfire at a temple in Spanish Fork, Utah, in 2025.
HinduPACT urged FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate.