Raja Krishnamoorthi calls for FBI hate crime probe of temple plot
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U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in March. Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski/Getty Images
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi says his family has worshipped at an Aurora Hindu temple for nearly 40 years.
- Now, the Sri Venkateswara Swami congregation is reeling after news of an alleged white supremacist mass shooting plot that could have turned its Sunday holiday celebration into a tragedy.
Why it matters: Krishnamoorthi, who attended the temple with his family, is calling for a federal hate crime investigation and greater protections for religious institutions.
Catch up quick: Prosecutors say Alexandros Paporakis, 19, of Palatine attempted to carry out a shooting at the temple but his rifle malfunctioned. Paporakis identifies as a white supremacist, they say.
- Police confirmed that his vehicle spent about 13 minutes in the temple parking lot. Investigators have not independently confirmed that he tried to fire his weapon.
- After Paporakis allegedly told a coworker about the failed attempt and that he planned to try again, they alerted police.
- Paporakis faces felony charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a weapon.
What he's saying: "There's just a lot of people who are shaken and fearful, a lot of hugs going around," Krishnamoorthi tells Axios.
- "We have a community that's kind of in shock."
Flashback: Krishnamoorthi said huge crowds gathered at the temple Sunday to celebrate the start of the Hindu holiday Navaratri.
- "My parents had been there all day. I stopped by, and little did we know that there was an attacker outside lying in wait," he said.
The latest: Krishnamoorthi is calling on the FBI to investigate the alleged plot as a hate crime and urging the Trump administration to release federal security grants for religious institutions.
- He also wants the FBI to devote more resources to investigating domestic violent extremism, arguing that authorities shouldn't have to rely on tips from coworkers to prevent attacks.
- "We can't rely on luck to get our way through this," he said.
Between the lines: Krishnamoorthi points to an uptick in hate speech online against Indian Americans and other minorities as part of the problem.
- "The hateful rhetoric online has got to stop," he told Axios. "We have to stand together, regardless of party affiliation, and condemn it."
- He accused figures in the MAGA movement of encouraging hostility rather than condemning it. "They are fanning the flames," he said.
Zoom out: A September report from the Center for the Study of Organized Hate found that South Asian hate on X more than tripled between January 2024 and June 2026.
What's next: With Diwali approaching, Krishnamoorthi says, worshippers shouldn't let fear disrupt their religious celebrations, though he believes additional security may be necessary.
- "If they change who they are or how they conduct themselves, they're giving in to the attackers," he said.
The bottom line: Krishnamoorthi became emotional when reflecting on how close his longtime congregation may have come to tragedy.
- "A lot of these people are almost like family to us," he told Axios. "To think that they came so close to being the victims of a horrific event … it's deeply disturbing."