Aurora, Colorado’s Town controlled by Venezuelan armed gangs

Cindy Romero, living at the intersection of 12th Avenue and Dallas Street in the city of Aurora, Colorado, has become a daily battle against rising violence and neglect. Her life has descended into a nightmare, filled with frequent run-ins with the law and what she claims is a lack of assistance from the police and city.

She first noticed a gradual increase in crime in her part of the Denver metro area about a year and a half ago, which worsened significantly over the past three months.

“We were constantly forced to take measures to protect ourselves,” Romero said. “I installed more locks, bought additional cameras, and parked further away from the building. Despite all these efforts, the situation kept escalating. We felt like we were being tortured.”

She reported seeing people with automatic weapons and engaging in shootouts. “I’ve seen handguns, rifles with scopes, and other firearms. It got so bad that bullets even went through my friend’s apartment and hit my car,” Romero said.

Despite frequent calls to 911, the police response was nearly nonexistent. “The police would call me and say they weren’t coming unless it was a severe crime,” Romero said. “When I called the police to report a shooting, one officer asked if I had considered moving. If I could have afforded to leave, I would have.”

Romero installed multiple cameras that captured violent activity over weeks. Doorbell video shows a group of armed men forcing their way into her neighbor’s home. Another night, her camera outside captured two men approaching a vehicle with guns drawn.

NEW VIDEO armed group at troubled #aurora #colorado apartment complex now home to many migrants. Councilmember @DaniJurinsky says gangs have taken over the complex @KDVR @AuroraPD pic.twitter.com/J1uie8Y2M6

— Vicente Arenas (@vicentearenastv) August 28, 2024

Romero criticized city officials for their failure to address the problem. “You are elected to protect your constituents. You fundraise off your promises, yet you left us to die,” she said.

After a shootout on August 18, Romero was driven to desperation. This week, Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky finally responded to her requests for assistance. “Jurinsky was the only one who really took an interest in our safety and worked to find solutions. It meant a lot to have someone genuinely concerned,” Romero said.

Jurinsky helped her move out and find other housing. “I went in myself to help people move out. There was a large police presence, and at one point, a gentleman charged up the stairs after me,” Jurinsky said. “It was an eerie feeling. Even as I was helping people move out, others were moving in right in front of me.”

Jurinsky first became aware of the escalating gang activity shortly after a large gathering in Aurora related to the Venezuelan election. “People were saying that individuals were patrolling their properties with guns and walking through their buildings. They called the police repeatedly, but the response was lacking,” Jurinsky said.

The council member expressed frustration about being one of the few voices raising awareness about the issue. She says politics is being played with people’s lives. “There’s human suffering on the other side of some of these doors and these apartment complexes, but there’s a big election coming up, and nobody wants to talk about this. Because if they start talking about this, someone has to admit there’s a problem somewhere,” she said.

According to her, police leadership had instructed officers that a minimum of three to four officers were needed to respond to such situations. If those numbers weren’t available, officers were told not to respond. So the town is left to its own devices and in the hands of armed Venezuelan immigrant gangs, who do whatever they want without any opposition.

Colorado has seen a noticeable deterioration in public safety since the complete liberalization of cannabis cultivation and distribution. What was the premise of greater tranquility and economic growth has been converted into insecurity and crime.