Fastrack · Palatine Man Accused of Plotting Mass Shooting at Hindu Temple

Police arrested a 19-year-old Palatine man accused of planning a mass shooting at a Hindu temple near Aurora, Illinois. He faces felony charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful weapons possession.

30 years in prison is the maximum if he is convicted.
8 pages: length of the alleged manifesto targeting Indian, Jewish and Black people.
Police found an AR-style rifle without a serial number, plus loaded magazines.
Co-workers at an Arlington Heights Taco Bell reported his messages to police.

Why it matters: Prosecutors allege the attack was attempted, not only planned. They say his rifle jammed at the temple and he fled unseen.

Court filings say he researched clearing the jam and wrote he could retry.
ABC7 Chicago reported filings saying he planned the attack for two years.

How 27 sources split on this story

Source landscape

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Political Bias

Coverage by lean% of 27 sources

27 sources · 34 articles · 41% Center coverage

Center coverage, 11 sources: The center frames it as a local criminal case built on police and prosecutor accounts of an alleged plot.

Chicago Tribune7hUS Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and family were at Aurora temple when Palatine man tried to carry out attack WPXI Pittsburgh3hCar registered to man accused of planning mass shooting was at Hindu temple he targeted, police say The Hill4hLawmakers ‘horrified’ by mass shooting plot on Chicago-area Hindu temple Associated Press22hTeen accused of plotting mass shooting at Chicago-area Hindu temple Axios5hKrishnamoorthi says he was at temple with family during shooting attempt Jerusalem Post15hChicago man suspected of planning mass shooting against Hindus had white supremacist manifesto Newsweek18hHow a jammed rifle halted teen’s alleged Hindu temple attack NOTUS3hRep. Krishnamoorthi Says a ‘White Supremacist’ Tried to Carry Out a Mass Shooting at His Hindu Temple - The Washington Sun The National Desk4hTeen charged in alleged mass shooting plot targeting Hindu temple WESH 2 News2hCar registered to man accused of planning mass shooting was at temple he targeted, police say WKBN Youngstown21hTeen accused of plotting mass shooting at Chicago-area Hindu temple

Left coverage, 7 sources: The left frames it as an attempted mass shooting by a self-described white supremacist, stopped only by a gun jam.

The Independent3hCar registered to man accused of planning mass shooting was at Hindu temple he targeted, police say Al Jazeera8hUS teen held over Hindu temple attack plot: Is anti-Indian racism rising?ABC News11hMan charged in alleged plot potentially targeting Hindu place of worship in Illinois CNN14hTeen accused of plotting mass shooting at Chicago-area Hindu temple MSNBC2hCongressman says he was praying at Hindu temple during alleged mass shooting attempt The New Republic4hDemocratic Congressman Was at Temple During Mass Shooting Attempt The New York Times54mTeen Arrested Over Plan to Attack Hindu Temple, Officials Say

Right coverage, 9 sources: The right frames it around the jammed rifle and the suspect's own self-description in his alleged manifesto.

New York Post2hTrans neo-Nazi teen accused of Hindu temple mass shooting plot will get hormone treatments in jail: judge Newsmax3hPolice: Mass Shooting Plot Suspect's Car Seen at Hindu Temple Just the News23hIllinois man charged in alleged mass-shooting plan that may have targeted Hindu place of worship NTD3hIllinois Teen Jailed in Alleged Hindu Temple Attack Plot, Congressman Says Family Was There One America News11hIll.: 19-year-old man arrested for alleged plot to carry out mass shooting at Hindu temple The Center Square3hIllinois Quick Hits: Congressman says he was at temple targeted in mass shooting attempt The Daily Caller4hHeroic Taco Bell Worker Thwarts Would-Be Mass Shooter The Post Millennial2hTrans-identified male arrested in Illinois for attempted mass shooting at Hindu temple Washington Examiner11hTeenager allegedly planned mass shooting at Hindu temple near Chicago

What’s next: A judge ordered Paporakis held in jail pretrial. His next hearing is Oct. 30.

The FBI and Aurora police assisted, and officials said more charges are possible.
Police have not named the temple, and the exact target remains under investigation.
It was unclear as of Wednesday whether Paporakis has a lawyer.