Washingtn DC: US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi broke down while recounting an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting targeting Indian Americans at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, saying his family escaped after the suspect’s gun reportedly jammed.
The incident took place last Sunday at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple near Chicago, where Krishnamoorthi and his family were worshipping. A 19-year-old suspect, identified as Alexandros Paporakis, was arrested on allegations of making a terrorist threat and unlawfully possessing a weapon.
Recalling the incident, Krishnamoorthi said he could not explain how the gun malfunctioned or how his family and others managed to escape unharmed.
“I don’t know how the shooter’s gun jammed. I don’t know how my family and others escaped. I don’t know how I happened to be there, but I believe that one purpose was so I could be here and I could speak out about hate, and that has become one of my life’s missions,” he said.
In a post on X earlier, the Congressman described the alleged attack as a deeply disturbing act of hate and called for collective action against anti-Indian hatred and white supremacy.
“My family and I were worshipping at our Hindu temple in Aurora on Sunday when a white supremacist attempted a mass shooting targeting Indian Americans. I’m grateful to those who helped prevent a tragedy, but we must come together to confront the hatred that put so many innocent lives at risk,” he wrote.
Krishnamoorthi thanked the suspect’s co-workers for alerting law enforcement and praised the officers who intervened. He also warned against overlooking threats of hate-motivated violence, stressing the need to confront the hostility that puts vulnerable communities at risk.
The incident has drawn condemnation from US lawmakers, with Ro Khanna and Rich McCormick, co-chairs of the US-India Caucus, urging federal authorities to investigate the case thoroughly.
In a statement on Friday, the lawmakers called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to address what they described as growing threats and hostility directed at Hindu Americans and Indian Americans.
They urged the agencies to investigate the alleged plot as a potential federal hate crime and pursue all charges supported by the evidence. They also called for investigators to determine whether anyone had encouraged, assisted or coordinated with the defendant, either online or offline.
India has also expressed concern over the incident and called on the US to ensure the safety of its nationals.
Addressing a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the incident as a matter of “deep concern” and pointed to what he called increasing instances of hate crimes and racial discrimination against Indian communities in the US.
“We have taken note of the action that the US law enforcement authorities have undertaken once this incident happened, but we call on the United States side to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals in the country,” Jaiswal said.
The alleged plot has renewed concerns over hate-motivated threats against Indian American and Hindu communities, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle calling for accountability and stronger efforts to prevent such violence.
