Aurora police react to alleged Venezuelan gang presence at apartments: 'Have not taken over'
Aurora police shared an update after video surfaced allegedly showing heavily armed Venezuelan migrant gang members trying to break into an apartment in Colorado.
In a video from a news conference posted to the department's official X account late Friday evening, Aurora Police Department interim Chief Heather Morris said "gang members have not taken over" the apartment complex.
"I’m not saying that there’s not gang members that don’t live in this community," she said. "But what we’re learning out here is that gang members have not taken over this complex."
Several men armed with handguns and one with a scoped rifle were caught on disturbing doorbell camera footage busting through the door of an apartment in The Edge at Lowry complex for unknown reasons.
The group appears to be Tren de Aragua, or TdA, a transnational gang based in Venezuela. The gang, with reportedly 5,000 members, has a motto of "real until death," or "real hasta la muerte."
"We are aware 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 Aurora Police Department said in a statement on X.
"However, as we have said previously and as the DEA similarly stated, it would be improper at this time for the city and APD to make any conclusory statements about specific incidents or provide details about law enforcement strategy and operations."
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The department added that based on its initial investigative work, it believes reports of TdA influence in Aurora are isolated.
TdA is linked to over 100 crimes across the nation, according to reporting from the New York Post.
The Aurora Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital TdA leader "Cookie Monster" is in custody as part of a July 28 shooting investigation.
"We urge all community members, including members of our migrant communities, to please report crimes committed against them to their local law enforcement agencies and not remain silent victims," the statement continued.
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman announced Friday the city is starting the process of clearing the apartment buildings where transnational armed gang TdA has taken over.
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In a statement posted to Facebook, Coffman said "the Aurora City Attorney's Office is preparing court documents to request an emergency court order to clear the apartment buildings where Venezuelan gang activity has been occurring by declaring the properties a ‘Criminal Nuisance.’
"This will require a municipal judge to issue the order with the goal of getting these properties back under the control of the property owners. In the meantime, the law enforcement task force set up to disrupt and arrest Venezuelan gang members in these buildings will continue its operation. I strongly believe that the best course of action is to shut these building[s] down and make sure that this never happens again."
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Officials said crime victims can report crimes anonymously by calling Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
The Aurora Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News' Jasmine Baehr and Madeline Coggins contributed to this report.