AURORA, Ill. (Diya TV) — Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and 104 other members of Congress are asking the FBI to investigate an alleged shooting plot at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Hindu temple as a possible federal hate crime. Krishnamoorthi said he and his family were worshipping there on Oct. 11, when prosecutors say the suspect tried to fire at a man outside the temple but his rifle jammed.
The lawmakers sent FBI Director Kash Patel a letter on Oct. 20. They asked whether investigators are examining racial, ethnic or religious bias and coordinating with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. attorney’s office. They also asked whether anyone helped plan or encourage the alleged plot, how the FBI distinguishes credible threats from constitutionally protected speech, and how it shares threat information with local police and religious institutions. The lawmakers requested a written response by Oct. 29, subject to limits imposed by the ongoing investigation.
Prosecutors say Alexandros Paporakis, 19, of Palatine, went to the temple in a vehicle carrying a rifle and body armor. He left after the weapon malfunctioned, according to investigators. Prosecutors say he later told a Taco Bell coworker that the gun had jammed and discussed trying again. Coworkers alerted police, who arrested him later that day.
Investigators say an eight-page document attributed to Paporakis described a mass-shooting plan and expressed white supremacist views. A search of his home turned up a rifle, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and a tactical vest with white supremacist imagery, authorities said. Paporakis faces state felony charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful weapons possession. A judge ordered him detained; his next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 30. The charges remain allegations.
The letter also cites a September report that counted more than 542,000 hateful posts targeting South Asians on X from January 2025 through June 2026. The report found the monthly volume rose about 240% between January 2024 and June 2026. Carnegie Endowment researchers separately surveyed 1,000 Indian Americans and found 48% had often or sometimes seen racist posts targeting Indians or Indian Americans since the start of 2025; one in four said someone had called them a slur. The lawmakers cited the figures as context for their questions about online threats; the reports do not establish a link between those posts and the alleged plot.
The signers include the Illinois House Democratic delegation, all Indian American members of Congress, and Sens. Dick Durbin, Tammy Duckworth, Andy Kim and Chris Van Hollen. The letter also criticizes social media posts by the departments of Homeland Security and Education, arguing that they risk reinforcing racial and religious stereotypes.
