Aurora Hindu temple mass shooting plot thwarted

A 19-year-old man allegedly planned a mass shooting at the Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple in Aurora, Illinois, during the Navaratri celebrations. According to prosecutors, the suspect arrived at the temple armed with a rifle and body armor, but the attack was prevented by a tip from a co-worker.

Authorities recovered a manifesto from the suspect expressing white supremacist views. In response to the incident, U.S. Representatives Ro Khanna and Rich McCormick sent a letter to the FBI and DOJ, stating that the plot did not emerge in isolation and highlighting a rise in hostility toward Hindu and Indian Americans.

Aurora Mayor John Laesch issued a statement expressing deep sadness over the plot, emphasizing that hate has no place in the community and praising the tipster for saving lives. Lawmakers and scholars have noted that anti-Hindu sentiment in the United States is often linked to broader anti-Indian prejudice.