A tip-off from a colleague reportedly prevented a mass shooting at a Hindu temple near Chicago, investigators have said. Alexandros Paporakis, 19, from Palatine, Illinois, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon.
Officials said Paporakis allegedly sent a message about the planned attack on Sunday to a co-worker, who then alerted authorities. Palatine police chief William Nord stated on Thursday that they were notified about a mass shooting plot on Sunday by someone who had received "concerning electronic communications" from Paporakis.
Police said they found writings in which Paporakis identified as a white supremacist and expressed hatred for non-white people. According to CBS, prosecutors said the tipster had worked with Paporakis.
Chief Nord said a red Honda RDX registered to Paporakis entered the car park of a "known Hindu temple in the Aurora community" on Sunday lunchtime. The suspect allegedly tried to open fire, but the gun jammed, leading him to drive home.
Police officers searched Paporakis' home, where they reportedly found a rifle, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of rifle ammunition, and body armour. Chief Nord added that an eight-page document by the suspect was also found, containing "extremist ideologies" and revealing his plans for an attack.