On August 28, Fox 31 journalist Vicente Arenas posted a video on X showing five men walking through an Aurora apartment complex with rifles and handguns. The video had almost five million views after a single day online.
National media outlets like the New York Post, TMZ and Fox News reported on the video, saying it was proof that Aurora was being taken over by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA); international outlets such as the Times of India and the Daily Mail echoed those claims.
Initially, the Aurora Police Department commented on the video with this:
"Regarding the video that’s circulating on social media showing men with a long gun inside an apartment building, APD has been in possession of it and officers have seized evidence seen in the video," according to an APD statement issued August 28. "It is part of an ongoing investigation and we consequently cannot comment further at this time."
But by the start of the Labor Day weekend, the City of Aurora did offer further comment.
The APD has been disputing claims of Venezuelan gangs taking over apartments in Aurora since the beginning of August, when the owner of a complex that was forced to close for code violations defended himself by claiming that members of Tren de Aragua had threatened him and his employees. The gang's intimidation kept the property owner from being able to take care of the apartment, he said.
The property owner was trying to "fabricate alternative narratives" and "engage in diversionary tactics," the APD responded. But in response to the onslaught of media attention regarding the video, the police department acknowledged that "components of TdA are operating in Aurora."
"APD has been increasingly collecting evidence to show the gang is connected to crimes in the area," the August 28 police statement noted.
The Denver Police Department also issued a statement shortly after the video surfaced on August 28, but it disputed claims of any gang takeover — at least in Denver.
"There are reasons to believe that members of this gang are tied to crimes in the area," according to the Denver statement. "However, DPD is not aware of any apartment buildings being 'taken over' by this gang in Denver."
The gang has been linked to a jewelry heist in Denver in June and, according to the DPD, was believed by Homeland Security intelligence to have issued a "green light" to shoot DPD officers who interfered with its gang activity.
According to the August 28 DPD statement, the department "takes the presence of Tren de Aragua seriously, and protecting the safety of our residents and our officers is always our top priority. The Denver Police Department, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, continues actively investigating to learn more about the gang, its members and any associated criminal activity so we can respond accordingly — just as we do for any gang or criminal organization."
The APD is also working with other law enforcement, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, to "specifically address concerns about Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and other criminal activity affecting migrant communities," according to the APD's August 28 statement. However, based on "initial investigative work," the department believes "reports of TdA influence in Aurora are isolated."
"There are reasons to believe that members of this gang are tied to crimes in the area," according to the Denver statement. "However, DPD is not aware of any apartment buildings being 'taken over' by this gang in Denver."
The gang has been linked to a jewelry heist in Denver in June and, according to the DPD, was believed by Homeland Security intelligence to have issued a "green light" to shoot DPD officers who interfered with its gang activity.
"The Denver Police Department is aware of the warning issued by [Colorado Information Analysis Center]," said the DPD. "As with any information about possible criminal activity that may impact other jurisdictions, details are shared across agencies. DPD is monitoring and making officers aware of the safety concerns shared by our law enforcement partners."
According to the August 28 DPD statement, the department "takes the presence of Tren de Aragua seriously, and protecting the safety of our residents and our officers is always our top priority. The Denver Police Department, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, continues actively investigating to learn more about the gang, its members and any associated criminal activity so we can respond accordingly — just as we do for any gang or criminal organization."
The APD is also working with other law enforcement, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, to "specifically address concerns about Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and other criminal activity affecting migrant communities," according to the APD's August 28 statement. However, based on "initial investigative work," the department believes "reports of TdA influence in Aurora are isolated."
But at an August 8 council meeting, all three members of Aurora's public safety committee supported the landlord's claims of a gang takeover. "None of us buy that story that this is based on a code enforcement violation," said Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky. "The three of us believe there is a huge gang problem."
Councilwoman Stephanie Hancock said she believed the gang was behind a rally of more than 3,000 people in Aurora on July 28, the day of the Venezuelan presidential election. Aurora Police tried to dispel any claims that the rally was violent or led by gangs.
"There is no evidence to date that the gathering was organized by a criminal organization or that any gang activity occurred related to the gathering," according to a July 30 APD statement. "While there are claims that some attendees at the gathering rioted, causing damage to businesses, passing vehicles and causing harm to passersby in the area, APD has received no such reports to date."
Jurinsky has been the most vocal Aurora city official supporting the claims of a gang takeover. She went on Fox News on August 27, saying that "residents tell me they feel like they live in a third-world country."
Tren de Aragua is "going block by block, they are going apartment complex by apartment complex, they are taking it over," Jurinsky said. "The city doesn't really know how to handle it."
John Fabbricatore, a former field office director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Republican candidate opposing incumbent congressman Jason Crow, also appeared on that Fox News segment. On August 28, he posted on X that he and Jurinsky had helped an elderly woman move out of an unspecified apartment complex "that Venezuelan gang members were harassing."
In early August, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman pushed back against the claims of gang control at the apartment complex, saying that even though "the owners are talking about that it’s a gang issue," the problems at the property "go way back." According to Aurora city records, the property has had outstanding code violations since 2020. (The owner's trial over those violations was recently postponed until February.)
On August 29, though, Coffman went on Fox News and said that "there are several buildings actually under the same ownership, under state ownership, that have fallen to these Venezuelan gangs."
Governor Jared Polis's office offered its own statement the same day: "Over the last month, Governor Polis has been in regular contact with the City of Aurora and the Aurora Police Department and has offered all state assistance to support their efforts if requested. He really hopes that the city council members in charge stop thrashing their own city when they are supposed to keep it safe," the statement reads. "We know violent crime in Aurora went down between 2022-2023, fully expect the data will show further declines for 2024 and the recent misinformation campaign threatens actual criminal investigations and could hurt the climate for small businesses in Aurora."Jurinsky has been the most vocal Aurora city official supporting the claims of a gang takeover. She went on Fox News on August 27, saying that "residents tell me they feel like they live in a third-world country."
Tren de Aragua is "going block by block, they are going apartment complex by apartment complex, they are taking it over," Jurinsky said. "The city doesn't really know how to handle it."
John Fabbricatore, a former field office director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Republican candidate opposing incumbent congressman Jason Crow, also appeared on that Fox News segment. On August 28, he posted on X that he and Jurinsky had helped an elderly woman move out of an unspecified apartment complex "that Venezuelan gang members were harassing."
In early August, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman pushed back against the claims of gang control at the apartment complex, saying that even though "the owners are talking about that it’s a gang issue," the problems at the property "go way back." According to Aurora city records, the property has had outstanding code violations since 2020. (The owner's trial over those violations was recently postponed until February.)
On August 29, though, Coffman went on Fox News and said that "there are several buildings actually under the same ownership, under state ownership, that have fallen to these Venezuelan gangs."
And as the stories kept spinning into the start of Labor Day weekend, the City of Aurora issued another statement just after 5 p.m. on August 30, along with video of the APD checking apartment complexes:
There has been a lot of misleading information shared about what is happening in our city. Aurora is a safe community. Media have conflated and considerably exaggerated incidents that are isolated to a handful of problem properties alone.This could be a long, hot weekend.
"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....
Local, regional and national media are leading the nation to believe that Aurora is wholly unsafe. That is simply not true. While these isolated situations are rightfully of great concern and warrant increased action and scrutiny, violent crime in the city is down in nearly all crime categories.
Going to grocery stores, parks, schools, banks, shopping centers, visiting with neighbors and other everyday activities remain unchanged....We will continue to urge all community members to report crimes to local law enforcement.
Again, Aurora is a safe place to live, work and visit. It is tragic that select individuals and entities have mischaracterized our city based on isolated incidents. We encourage you to build up our community and not allow the hysteria of others to tear it down.
This story has been updated to include the Aurora statement sent just after 5 p.m. August 30 to local news media.
