Chicago (Illinois) [US], October 21 (ANI): Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi led 105 members of Congress, including every Indian American member of Congress in urging FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate the attempted mass shooting at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, as a potential federal hate crime.
Krishnamoorthi and his family were worshipping at the temple when the attempted attack occurred on October 11. The lawmakers also demanded answers about the FBI’s efforts to identify and address credible online threats targeting Indian Americans, Hindu Americans, and other South Asian communities.
According to prosecutors, 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis, a self-identified neo-Nazi, tried to shoot a man outside the temple, but his rifle jammed. He fled and later communicated plans to return before a coworker alerted police, who arrested him that day. Prosecutors allege that he authored an eight-page white supremacist manifesto describing violence against people of Indian descent at a Hindu house of worship. Investigators recovered a rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, body armor, and white supremacist imagery.
In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “The alleged combination of targeted racial hatred, a religious setting, and preparations for mass violence demands a comprehensive federal response. We appreciate the FBI’s reported assistance to local investigators and urge the Bureau to ensure that potential hate-crime violations receive explicit attention.”
The letter comes amid a surge in online hostility toward South Asians. A September 2026 report identified more than 542,000 anti-South Asian hateful posts on X between January 2025 and June 2026, with the monthly volume rising approximately 240 percent from January 2024 to June 2026. A Carnegie Endowment survey also found that 48 percent of Indian American respondents encountered racist posts targeting their community very or somewhat often since the start of 2025, while one in four reported being called a slur.
The lawmakers also criticize Trump Administration messaging that they warn risks legitimizing racial and religious stereotypes.
“We believe such messaging risks lending governmental legitimacy to racial and religious stereotyping. Federal agencies should make clear that debates over immigration or public safety never justify collective suspicion of Indian, Sikh, Hindu, or other South Asian communities,” the letter said.
The lawmakers are seeking information on whether the FBI is examining potential racial, ethnic, and religious bias in the Aurora case, whether online platforms or other individuals facilitated the alleged plot, and what steps the Bureau is taking to protect houses of worship and address credible threats without infringing on First Amendment protections.
The lawmakers wrote, “No one should fear being targeted because of their ancestry, appearance, or faith, and no congregation should have to wonder whether gathering for worship will make its members targets of mass violence. We urge the FBI to investigate the evidence fully, pursue all applicable offenses, and provide affected communities with a clear account of the steps being taken to protect them.”
The lawmakers requested a written response to the following questions, to the extent consistent with an ongoing investigation, by October 29, 2026. (ANI)
105 members of US Congress urge FBI to investigate Illinois Hindu Temple shooting plot as potential hate crime
