Washington DC: Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has led 105 members of Congress in urging FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate an alleged attempted mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, as a potential federal hate crime.
The bipartisan group, which includes every Indian American member of Congress, has also sought answers about the FBI’s efforts to identify and counter credible online threats targeting Indian Americans, Hindu Americans and other South Asian communities.
Krishnamoorthi and his family were worshipping at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Hindu Temple when the alleged attack took place on Oct. 11.
According to prosecutors, 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis, who reportedly identified himself as a neo-Nazi, attempted to shoot a man outside the temple, but his rifle malfunctioned. He subsequently fled the scene and allegedly communicated plans to return before a co-worker alerted authorities. Police arrested him later that day.
Investigators allege that Paporakis authored an eight-page white supremacist manifesto detailing violence against people of Indian descent at a Hindu place of worship. Authorities also recovered a rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, body armor and white supremacist imagery.
In a letter to Patel, the lawmakers called for a comprehensive federal investigation, citing the alleged racial motivation, religious setting and preparations for mass violence.
“The alleged combination of targeted racial hatred, a religious setting, and preparations for mass violence demands a comprehensive federal response,” the letter stated, while acknowledging the FBI’s reported assistance to local investigators and urging the bureau to explicitly examine potential hate-crime violations.
The appeal comes amid growing concerns over online hostility toward South Asian communities in the US.
A September 2026 report identified more than 542,000 hateful posts targeting South Asians on X between January 2025 and June 2026. The report also recorded an approximately 240% increase in monthly volumes of such posts between January 2024 and June 2026.
Separately, a Carnegie Endowment survey found that 48% of Indian American respondents had encountered racist posts targeting their community very or somewhat often since the beginning of 2025. One in four respondents also reported being called a racial slur.
The lawmakers also raised concerns about messaging from the Trump administration, arguing that certain statements risk reinforcing racial and religious stereotypes.
“We believe such messaging risks lending governmental legitimacy to racial and religious stereotyping,” the letter said, stressing that discussions surrounding immigration and public safety must not encourage collective suspicion of Indian, Sikh, Hindu or other South Asian communities.
The lawmakers have asked the FBI to clarify whether investigators are examining potential racial, ethnic and religious bias in the Aurora case. They also want to know whether online platforms or other individuals may have facilitated the alleged plot and what measures the bureau is taking to protect houses of worship from credible threats while safeguarding First Amendment rights.
Emphasizing the need to protect religious communities, the lawmakers said people should not have to fear violence because of their ancestry, appearance or faith.
They urged the FBI to thoroughly investigate the evidence, pursue all applicable offenses and provide affected communities with a clear account of the steps being taken to ensure their safety.
The lawmakers have requested a written response to their questions by Oct. 29, 2026, to the extent permitted by the ongoing investigation.
