Colorado city officials deny concerns about Venezuelan gangs taking over apartment buildings: ‘Exaggerated’

Officials in a Colorado city claimed the “hysteria” surrounding concerns about Venezuelan gang members taking over apartment complexes was being “exaggerated” by the media.

The Denver Post reported Wednesday on growing fears in the city of Aurora after surveillance footage showed armed members of the Tren de Aragua gang attempting to break into an apartment complex. Although the footage went viral, City Council members Stephanie Hancock and Alison Coombs suggested the threat was being exaggerated by the media.

“Those stories are really exaggerated. If you didn’t live here, you’d swear we were being taken over by a gang and Aurora was under siege,” Hancock told The Denver Post. “That’s just not true.”

“There is this hysterical perception that we have a gang problem, but the reality is that we have a slum landlord problem in the city of Aurora,” Coombs said.

Suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang have taken over an apartment building in Aurora, Colorado, and are demanding rent in exchange for protection. (Edward Romero)

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The Denver Post also reported that Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and the Denver Police Department have criticized the national media for spreading what they see as a misleading story.

“Denver police spokesman Doug Schepman said many people on social media were ‘misleadingly’ confusing Denver and Aurora. He said officers have no evidence that members of Tren de Aragua are targeting Denver apartment complexes for ‘takeovers,'” the report said.

It continued: “Jon Ewing, a spokesman for Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, said the national attention was ‘fueling ugly rhetoric’ during an election year. The mayor’s office is concerned that immigrants who moved to Colorado to start a better life will be harmed. But the city is also working to stop the spread of Tren de Aragua.”

Some blamed landlords more for the poor condition of apartment complexes than gang members. (Councillor Danielle Jurinsky)

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Aurora city officials and some citizens called for more attention to landlords who they say are responsible for the poor living conditions.

“State law is clear about a homeowner’s responsibility to address health hazards and code violations in the apartment buildings they own,” city spokesman Michael Brannen said in a statement to The Denver Post. “We will continue to aggressively pursue a solution to address the poor conditions that are affecting residents.”

“They say there are gangs and criminals, but the only criminal here is the owner,” said resident Moises Didenot.

Their comments contradict comments Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman made last week on “America Reports” in which he suggested some buildings have fallen under mob control.

“So there are multiple buildings that are actually under the same ownership, outside of government ownership, that have fallen into the hands of these Venezuelan gangs. I’m trying to push back and investigate how there is a concentration of Venezuelans in these three buildings,” Coffman 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 a place where there are a lot of Venezuelan migrants. And so they basically forced the property management out through intimidation and then collected the rent,” he added.

Former Congressman and current Mayor of Aurora, Colorado Mike Coffman was a guest on “America Reports” last week to update the nation on Venezuelan gangs in his city. (Larry French/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Aurora city council members and police for comment but has not yet received a response.