WASHINGTON — A group of 105 US lawmakers led by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has urged FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate an attempted mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, as a potential federal hate crime, Krishnamoorthi's office said in a press release, and the South Asian Herald and Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

The letter, dated October 20, was signed by 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 Krishnamoorthi's office. PTI reported Indian-American members Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Ami Bera, Suhas Subramanyam and Shri Thanedar were among the signatories. Krishnamoorthi and his family were worshipping at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple when the attempted attack occurred on October 11, his office said.

According to prosecutors, as cited by Krishnamoorthi's office, 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis, described as a self-identified neo-Nazi, allegedly tried to shoot a man outside the temple but his rifle jammed. He allegedly fled and later communicated plans to return, before a coworker alerted police, who arrested him the same day. Prosecutors allege he authored an eight-page white supremacist manifesto describing violence against people of Indian descent at a Hindu house of worship, and investigators recovered a rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, body armor and white supremacist imagery. These are allegations cited by prosecutors and have not been established in court.

"The alleged combination of targeted racial hatred, a religious setting, and preparations for mass violence demands a comprehensive federal response," the lawmakers wrote, according to the press release. They 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, and, according to PTI, criticised administration messaging they said risked legitimising racial and religious stereotypes. No FBI response was reported in the sources cited.

Sources: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, U.S. House press release, October 20, 2026; South Asian Herald; PTI via DainikNews Live and Punjab Khabarnama, October 21, 2026.