CO governor says alleged apartment takeover by migrant gang is ‘imagination’

The office of Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis dismissed warnings that a violent gang would take over apartment buildings in Aurora, Colorado, telling The New York Post that the “alleged invasion is largely the imagination of (Aurora City Councilwoman) Danielle Jurinsky.”

Jurinsky earlier this week sounded the alarm about the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, claiming the group was taking control of apartment complexes in Aurora, a Denver suburb. Fox News reported video footage on Thursday that showed gunmen walking through an apartment building in Aurora and entering an apartment after knocking on the door with guns drawn.

“The governor has already informed the mayor that the state stands ready to support local law enforcement with assistance from state agents and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation if needed,” a spokeswoman for Polis told the Post. “But law enforcement intelligence indicates that this alleged invasion is largely a function of Danielle Jurinsky’s imagination.”

Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.

The spokeswoman added that “it is illegal to take over buildings in Colorado” and said that if Jurinsky has “knowledge” of such crimes, Polis’ office “stands ready to assist law enforcement” “in taking back (the apartment buildings).” She then cited statistics showing that “violent crime in Aurora declined between 2022 and 2023.”

While Polis’ office downplayed concerns about alleged gang takeovers of Aurora apartments, Aurora’s Republican Mayor Mike Coffman told Fox News on Thursday that Venezuelan gangs control at least two apartment buildings in the city.

“This is an organized criminal effort. Whether it is a trend, a drug war, that remains to be seen,” he said.

“Somebody put them there and somebody funded it, whether it’s the federal government or not, we’re trying to figure out who, these gangs apparently, or are attracted to where there’s a concentration of Venezuelan migrants. And so they basically forced the property management out through intimidation and then collected the rent,” the mayor added.

NEW VIDEO armed group in troubled #Aurora #Colorado apartment complex where many migrants now live. Councillor @DaniJurinsky says gangs have taken over the complex @KDVR @AuroraPD photo.twitter.com/J1uie8Y2M6

— Vicente Arenas (@vicentearenastv) August 28, 2024

A resident of an apartment complex in Aurora also confirmed Jurinsky’s claims, telling Fox News: “This is organized. They’re visibly patrolling the property with guns, like they’re not trying to hide them. There’s no repercussions. These are ghosts.” The resident, who reportedly moved out on Wednesday because of the gang activity, added that gang members are dealing drugs in the building.

WATCH THE TRAILER FOR ‘AM I RACIST?’ — A MATT WALSH COMEDY ON DEI

Coffman blamed federal immigration policies and Denver’s Safe City policies for the increased presence of migrant gangs in Aurora.

“You’ve had these massive waves of migrants coming across the border, many of whom crossed the border illegally, were arrested, asked for political asylum, were not adequately screened, were released into the country, (into) the city of Aurora,” he said. “We’ve done everything we can to, quite frankly, keep them … out of the city, because this is not our problem. This is a federal problem.”