Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi Leads 105 Lawmakers in Urging FBI Hate Crime Probe Into Attempted Shooting at Hindu Temple in Aurora

WASHINGTON— Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) is leading a bipartisan group of 105 lawmakers in urging the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate an alleged attempted mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, as a potential federal hate crime.

In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, the lawmakers called for a comprehensive investigation into the October 11 incident at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Hindu Temple and sought information about the bureau’s efforts to identify and address credible online threats targeting Indian Americans, Hindu Americans, Sikhs and other South Asian communities.

Krishnamoorthi and his family were worshipping at the temple when the alleged attack occurred. The group of lawmakers includes the entire Illinois House Democratic delegation, every Indian American member of Congress, and Senators Dick Durbin, Tammy Duckworth, Andy Kim and Chris Van Hollen.

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 jammed. He fled the scene and later communicated plans to return, prompting a coworker to alert authorities. Police arrested him that day.

Prosecutors allege that Paporakis authored an eight-page white supremacist manifesto describing violence against people of Indian descent at a Hindu place of worship. Investigators reportedly recovered a rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, body armor and white supremacist imagery.

The lawmakers said the alleged combination of racial hatred, a religious setting and preparations for mass violence warrants close federal scrutiny.

“The alleged combination of targeted racial hatred, a religious setting, and preparations for mass violence demands a comprehensive federal response,” the letter states. “We appreciate the FBI’s reported assistance to local investigators and urge the Bureau to ensure that potential hate-crime violations receive explicit attention.”

Lawmakers raise concerns about online anti-South Asian hostility

The congressional letter comes amid growing concerns about online hostility toward South Asian communities in the United States.

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 found that monthly volumes increased approximately 240% from January 2024 to 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 said they had been called a slur.

The lawmakers also criticized what they characterized as messaging by the Trump administration that risks reinforcing racial and religious stereotypes.

Among the examples cited in the letter was a Department of Homeland Security social media post depicting a Sikh man alongside the message, “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive Mr. Singh.”

The lawmakers also referenced a Department of Education post declaring “Make College Football Great Again” after a Texas Republican complained about South Asians attending a University of Texas football game.

“We believe such messaging risks lending governmental legitimacy to racial and religious stereotyping,” the lawmakers wrote. “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.”

Five questions seek details on FBI investigation and community protections

The lawmakers requested a written response from the FBI by October 29, 2026, to five questions, to the extent that disclosure is consistent with the ongoing investigation.

Their requests cover the following areas:

1. Potential federal hate-crime investigation: Whether the FBI is investigating the alleged Aurora-area plot as a federal hate crime, whether the inquiry examines both racial or ethnic and religious bias, and whether the bureau is coordinating with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the appropriate U.S. Attorney’s Office.
2. Online activity and possible accomplices: Whether investigators are examining the use of online platforms to communicate threats, identify targets, obtain assistance or coordinate with others, and whether any individuals encouraged or materially assisted the alleged plot.
3. Monitoring credible online threats: What steps the FBI is taking to identify and assess credible threats targeting Indian Americans, Hindu Americans, Sikhs and other South Asian communities while respecting First Amendment protections. The lawmakers also asked how the bureau distinguishes protected expression, including offensive speech, from threats and conduct that warrant investigation.
4. Information-sharing and protection for houses of worship: What mechanisms exist to share actionable threat information with state and local law enforcement and potentially targeted religious institutions, and what outreach and protective resources are being provided to affected communities.
5. Investigative resources and expertise: Whether the FBI has sufficient personnel, language expertise and analytical capacity to assess threats involving anti-Indian, anti-Hindu and broader anti-South Asian bias, and whether additional resources are needed.

The lawmakers emphasized that the investigation should examine all applicable offenses while protecting constitutional rights.

Their letter concludes with a call for greater transparency and reassurance for communities concerned about targeted violence.

“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,” the lawmakers wrote. “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 full letter was made available by the lawmakers.

Full list of lawmakers signing the letter

The 105 signatories are:

Illinois delegation and Indian American congressional leaders: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Rep. Ami Bera, Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, Rep. Shri Thanedar, Rep. Ro Khanna, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Sen. Richard J. Durbin, Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson, Rep. Bradley Scott Schneider, Rep. Delia C. Ramirez, Rep. Mike Quigley, Rep. Robin L. Kelly, Rep. Nikki Budzinski, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Rep. Bill Foster, Rep. Lauren Underwood, Rep. Eric Sorensen, Rep. Sean Casten, Rep. Danny K. Davis and Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García.

Additional members of Congress: Rep. Grace Meng, Rep. Judy Chu, Rep. Dave Min, Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, Rep. Derek T. Tran, Rep. André Carson, Rep. Norma J. Torres, Rep. Mark Takano, Rep. James R. Walkinshaw, Rep. Kevin Mullin, Rep. Sarah Elfreth, Rep. Juan Vargas, Rep. Marc A. Veasey, Rep. Shontel M. Brown, Rep. Troy A. Carter Sr., Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Rep. Sylvia R. Garcia, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., Rep. Yassamin Ansari, Rep. Greg Stanton, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep. Dina Titus, Rep. Brad Sherman, Rep. Greg Casar, Rep. Lucy McBath, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, Rep. Darren Soto, Rep. Robert J. Menendez, Rep. Lateefah Simon, Rep. Veronica Escobar, Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi, Rep. Seth Magaziner, Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, Rep. John W. Mannion, Rep. Al Green, Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr., Rep. Lois Frankel, Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, Rep. Deborah K. Ross, Rep. Hillary J. Scholten, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, Rep. April McClain Delaney, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Rep. Mark Pocan, Rep. Steven Horsford, Rep. Wesley Bell, Rep. Analilia Mejia, Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Rep. Becca Balint, Rep. Diana DeGette, Rep. Scott H. Peters, Rep. Rick Larsen, Rep. Ted W. Lieu, Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán, Rep. Andrea Salinas, Rep. Adam Smith, Rep. Dan Goldman, Sen. Andy Kim, Rep. Sam T. Liccardo, Rep. Gabe Amo, Rep. Haley M. Stevens, Rep. Madeleine Dean, Rep. Kim Schrier, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, Rep. Paul D. Tonko, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. James P. McGovern, Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr., Rep. Timothy M. Kennedy, Rep. Valerie P. Foushee, Rep. Doris Matsui, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Rep. Mike Thompson, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Suzan K. DelBene, Rep. Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr., Rep. Lori Trahan and Rep. Brendan F. Boyle.

The letter represents a coordinated congressional call for federal authorities to examine the alleged attack, assess potential bias and clarify how law enforcement is addressing credible threats against South Asian communities and places of worship.