A Taco Bell cashier's alleged plot for a mass shooting at a Hindu temple near Chicago was thwarted by a tip-off from one of his colleagues, investigators say.

Charges Filed

Alexandros Paporakis, 19, from Palatine, Illinois, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon. Paporakis allegedly sent a message about the planned attack on Sunday to the co-worker, who alerted authorities, officials said.

Investigation Details

Police said they found writings in which Paporakis identified as a white supremacist and expressed his hatred for non-white people. Palatine police chief William Nord stated on Thursday that they were notified about a mass shooting plot on Sunday by someone who had received "concerning electronic communications" from Paporakis.

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"These communications played a vital role in bringing this matter to the attention of law enforcement," said Chief Nord.

According to CBS, the BBC's US partner, prosecutors mentioned that the tipster had worked with Paporakis. Nord reported that a red Honda RDX registered to Paporakis entered the car park of a "known Hindu temple" in the suburb of Aurora at Sunday lunchtime.