Tenants of troubled apartments in Aurora speak out against rumors of Venezuelan gangs

AURORA, Colo. — Residents of an Aurora apartment complex are speaking out against the story that their building is being taken over by a Venezuelan gang. They say it’s not true.

On Tuesday, tenants at the Edge At Lowry apartments held a press conference to deny that gangs had taken over the complex after viral videos were shared around the world that allegedly showed the gang, Tren de Aragua, breaking into apartments.

Many tenants tell Denver7 that they do not believe the gang is present in the complex. They said the most significant problems they have faced are the uninhabitable conditions of the building they live in, a story Denver7 covered a few weeks ago.

Aurora

APD investigating claim of Venezuelan gang takeover of apartment building

A tenant from Venezuela says he now feels targeted since the rumors started circulating.

“I’m afraid to go outside. They accuse all of us in the complex of being gang members, and that’s completely untrue,” tenant Oscar Rojas said in Spanish. “It’s completely untrue. There are good people here, families. There will always be crime everywhere.”

Despite Denver7’s efforts to get answers from authorities, there was little context surrounding the viral videos.

A Facebook post from Mayor Mike Coffman may have added to the panic. Coffman called for an emergency court order to vacate apartment buildings linked to Venezuelan gang activity, calling the buildings a “criminal nuisance.”

Mayor Coffman speaks to Denver7 about alleged Venezuelan gang activity and his comments on the matter:

Aurora Mayor Talks to Denver7 About Alleged Apartment Building Takeovers by Venezuelan Gangs

On Monday, Aurora police and Mayor Coffman visited the Edge at Lowry Apartments and said that during their search of the apartment complex, they found no one with an outstanding arrest warrant or other criminal activity.

Tenants Denver7 spoke with said they are most concerned about being evicted and having nowhere to go.

“There was fear that we would be evicted,” said resident Yusmelis Carrillo, who lives in the complex with her husband and young children.

Carillo added that she felt uncomfortable as several cars drove past the area and people walked onto the property, often insulting residents.

Aurora apartment residents fight back against gang activity allegations

“Yesterday an American drove by with a flag and insulted the people here,” she said in Spanish.

“People of all nationalities come and take pictures,” Rojas added.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the city of Aurora sent the following statement to Denver7:

The city is trying to work with all parties involved, which will impact any legal process and timing. An emergency injunction is just one of many considerations at this time. There will be no official court filings until at least after the meeting has taken place.

The City of Aurora is addressing public safety concerns at these problem buildings, making arrests and proactively policing them. State law is clear about a homeowner’s responsibility to address health hazards and code violations in the apartment buildings they own. We will continue to aggressively pursue a solution to address the poor conditions that affect residents.

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