Chilling new footage has surfaced, showing an alleged Venezuelan gang forcefully taking control of an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado. The video, which emerged on Wednesday, depicts a heavily-armed group storming through the building, brandishing weapons. One man, seen in a hoodie, carries a high-powered rifle as he pounds on a door, while several others are armed with pistols.
Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky shared the alarming footage on Twitter, stating, “A GANG HAS TAKEN OVER several apartment complexes in Aurora!” While local law enforcement has not confirmed the identity of the gunmen, Jurinsky told Fox 31 that the building had been overrun by a Venezuelan gang, potentially linked to the infamous Tren de Aragua cartel.
“This isn’t just affecting Americans; other Venezuelans are being extorted by this gang,” Jurinsky said.
The footage highlights the escalating migrant crisis under the leadership of Vice President Kamala Harris, who was tasked with managing the situation at the border. The Tren de Aragua gang has reportedly established footholds across the United States, including in Colorado.
The video shows the gang members rushing up a stairwell, communicating in Spanish as they move through the building. The clip ends as the door they were pounding on opens, and the gang members enter the apartment. It is unclear if anyone inside was harmed.
The couple who recorded the footage told Fox 31 that the video was taken shortly before a shootout occurred at the complex, which left one person critically injured and several vehicles damaged by gunfire. Cindy and Edward Romero, the couple who captured the incident, moved out of the apartment on Wednesday, citing serious safety concerns.
“It’s been a nightmare, and I can’t wait to get out of here,” Cindy Romero told Fox News as she packed her belongings. The Romeros had installed an elaborate system of locks on their apartment door, running from top to bottom, to protect themselves from intruders. “Every time we go to bed at night, we have to keep it like this so that nobody can kick in the door,” Cindy explained.
Earlier this month, the Romeros’ car was riddled with bullets during another shootout at the complex. Councilmember Jurinsky helped the couple relocate to a safer area, expressing concern that while city nonprofits have lined up to assist migrants, no one is helping the Americans trapped in these dangerous situations.
Jurinsky remarked that the wave of violence at the apartment complex “all started with a gang takeover.” Aurora has been plagued by violence since the Tren de Aragua gang arrived, placing the city at the center of a growing crisis.
The Aurora Police Department released a statement on Wednesday confirming they are investigating the newly surfaced footage. Authorities have launched a special task force in collaboration with local, state, and federal partners to address concerns about the Tren de Aragua gang and other criminal activities. The police noted they are increasingly gathering evidence connecting the gang to various crimes in the area.
The rise in gang-related violence and other migrant-related crimes has intensified scrutiny of the situation at the border. Under the Biden-Harris administration, illegal immigration into the U.S. has surged to approximately 8 million crossings, with that number expected to reach 10 million by the end of September. Vice President Harris, appointed as the “border czar” in 2021, has faced criticism for the ongoing challenges in managing the influx of illegal immigration.