Aurora, Colorado, has been in the national spotlight due to unconfirmed reports of a Venezuelan gang taking over an apartment building after a video showing a group of armed men inside an apartment complex went viral.
The Aurora Police Department shared a video Friday of officers engaging with residents of The Edge at the Lowry apartment complex, located at 1218 Dallas Street. It’s one of several buildings at the center of concerns regarding alleged activity by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua — also known as TdA.
Interim Aurora Police Chief Heather Morris said in a police-provided interview that officers found no evidence of a gang takeover.
“We've been talking to the residents here and learning from them to find out what exactly is going on. And there's definitely a different picture. I'm not saying that there's not gang members that don't live in this community, but what we're learning out here is that gang members have not taken over this complex,” Morris said.
Still, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said the city is seeking an emergency court order to shut down apartment buildings that he claims have been overrun by the Venezuelan gang by declaring them a criminal nuisance.
Coffman said the apartments seeing gang activity are all under the same ownership, and had multiple code violations and criminal activity preceding the migrant crisis.
Despite unfounded claims of gang takeovers, Denver metro police agencies, including APD, did confirm that TdA is operating in the metro area, and the City of Aurora said they are taking the threat seriously.
"Yes, we are concerned that there is a small Tren de Aragua (TdA) presence in Aurora and we have been taking it seriously. We have responded. We have made arrests. We will continue to make arrests. We will continue to address the problems that the absentee, out-of-state owners of these properties have allowed to fester unchecked. Aurora will aggressively pursue all actions available under city code and criminal statute," the city said in a statement.
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A TdA member identified as Jhonardy Jose Pacheco-Chirino was arrested last month in connection with a double shooting at 1568 Nome Street in Aurora. He is currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Another high-profile crime in the Denver metropolitan area was connected to four Venezuelan nationals, who were arrested in El Paso, Texas, in connection with an armed jewelry store heist in Denver in June.
Gov. Jared Polis posted a statement on social media stating that the state is ready to offer any assistance to APD if requested.
“Colorado is a zero tolerance state for illegal activity, taking over buildings has no place in Colorado, and I am confident that the city of Aurora shares this basic value and will enforce the law if it is being violated there. I urge them to do so quickly and in a thorough manner. Over the last month, I have been in regular contact with the City of Aurora and the Aurora Police Department and have offered any and all state assistance to support their efforts if requested. The state has been ready for weeks to back up any operation by the Aurora Police Department needed to make Aurora safer.” Polis said.
Activists told Scripps News Denverthat the national attention on the presence of TdA in Colorado could harm immigrants who are not associated with the gang.
Nate Kassa, a community organizer for the East Colfax Community Collective, said the headlines are making life more challenging for the vast majority of immigrants who recently came to Colorado and have nothing to do with TdA.
"That screams to me 'racist.' It screams to me that it's capitalizing on a political opportunity to push hate against immigrants," Kassa said.
This story was originally published by Robert Garrison at Scripps News Denver.
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