(Christian News) — A 19-year-old “transgender” self-described “sociopathic white supremacist Neo Nazi” of suburban Chicago is in custody after law enforcement thwarted an alleged mass shooting attempt targeting a Hindu place of worship in Aurora, Illinois. Authorities credit a tip from a coworker and a mechanical failure during the alleged attack with preventing mass casualties.

The teenager, identified as “Alexandros Paporakis,” of Palatine, was arrested outside a residence on Sunday afternoon. Paporakis faces two felony charges in Cook County Circuit Court: making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a short-barreled firearm.

Primary charging documents from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and local police press releases list Paporakis as male. However, during court proceedings, defense filings noted that Paporakis undergoes so-called “gender-transition healthcare” involving testosterone injections, leading jail authorities to order ongoing medical care while in custody.

According to prosecutors, Paporakis had openly made white supremacist statements at work and voiced intentions to harm South Asian people. Court records and surveillance show that on Sunday, October 11, at approximately 12:25 p.m., a vehicle registered to Paporakis entered the parking lot of a prominent Hindu temple in Aurora, exiting about 13 minutes later.

Prosecutors allege Paporakis later contacted a coworker to report that the rifle had jammed when an attempt was made to open fire, forcing a quick retreat. Paporakis reportedly sent the colleague a video showing the firearm malfunctioning, along with an eight-page manifesto titled “Why I Fought: A.K.A. (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto).” In messages sent to the coworker, Paporakis expressed intent to clear the jammed weapon and return to carry out the attack.

Recognizing the imminent danger, the coworker immediately alerted law enforcement. Officers located Paporakis shortly thereafter and took the suspect into custody without incident.

Upon executing a search warrant at the Palatine residence shared with Paporakis’s mother, investigators recovered an un-serialized “ghost gun” AR-style rifle, tactical gear including body armor, multiple loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, items bearing Nazi iconography, and a canister inscribed with anti-South Asian slurs.

In the eight-page manifesto titled “Why I Fought: A.K.A. (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto)” shared with the coworker, Paporakis allegedly described the author as a “sociopathic white supremacist Neo Nazi filled with hatred, fantasizing about mass murder nearly every day.” Prosecutors noted in court filings that the document used derogatory slurs targeting South Asian, Jewish, and Black individuals, explicitly describing those groups as “subhumans” and outlining an intent to “kill as many as possible.” Court documents further note that Paporakis spent two years formulating the plan and two months using online mapping platforms to research the intended target.

At a detention hearing in Cook County, a judge granted prosecutors’ motion to hold Paporakis in custody without bail pending trial, citing the severity of the threat to public safety. Defense filings noted a history of mental health challenges, including diagnoses of ADHD, anxiety, and depression, and that Paporakis had recently been without prescribed medication. Federal authorities are continuing to review evidence alongside local law enforcement, and federal hate crime or terrorism charges remain under consideration. Paporakis is scheduled to make the next court appearance on October 30.

Become a Christian News Network Supporter...

Dear Reader, has ChristianNews.net been of benefit and a blessing to you? For many years now, the Lord has seen fit to use this small news outlet as a strong influential resource in keeping Christians informed on current events from a Biblical worldview. With much compromise and many falsehoods in modern-day Christianity, we strive to bring you the news by keeping Christ and His word in focus. If you have benefited from our news coverage, please prayerfully consider becoming a Christian News supporter by clicking here to make a one-time or monthly donation to help keep the truth of God's word widely and freely published and distributed.