Colorado's Democratic governor, Jared Polis, has dismissed outrage over a video showing what appear to be armed Venezuelan gang members inside an apartment building as “imagination” despite significant evidence.
Aurora City Councilman Daniel Jurinski responded to the governor's denial, saying he was “very disappointed.”
Polis spokeswoman Shelby Wieman said in a statement to the New York Post: “The Governor has already advised the Mayor that the State Police and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation are prepared to assist local law enforcement, if necessary,” he said.
Colorado mayor calls viral video of armed Venezuelan gang infiltrating apartment complex a 'policy failure'
“However, police information indicates that the break-in was the product of Daniel Jurinski's imagination,” he added. Weeman.
The video below shows several armed men in an apartment in Aurora, Colorado that some say is being taken over by members of the notorious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua.
City Councilman Daniel Jurinski has been at the forefront of the issue, evacuating several residents from an apartment building occupied by an armed gang on Wednesday.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Governor Jurinski fired back at Governor Polis, asking, “My question to the Governor is, is this also a fantasy of the Romeros? And the other residents that I helped get out of there and that I'm continuing to help get out of there?”
Spokesperson Shelby Wieman told Fox News Digital:[Governor Polis] I hope that responsible city council members will stop polluting their city instead of keeping it safe.”
Video shows armed gang members breaking into Colorado apartment believed to be occupied by immigrants
“We know that violent crime in Aurora decreased from 2022 to 2023, and we expect the data to show a further decrease in 2024. Additionally, recent misinformation campaigns have the potential to jeopardize actual criminal investigations and create a negative environment for small businesses in Aurora,” Wieman concluded.
More than 40,000 migrants have arrived in the Denver area since December 2022, according to a New York Post report.
Former Congressman and current Aurora, Colorado Mayor Mike Coffman appeared on America Report on Thursday to give the public an update on Venezuelan gangs in his city. (Larry French/Getty Images via SiriusXM)
“This is a reality, but we need to get a handle on it so the reputation of our entire city of over 400,000 residents is not negatively affected because of what happens in a few isolated apartment buildings owned by an out-of-state slum landlord,” Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital.
“There are people behind this who are just playing politics,” Daniel Jurinski said. “It's so sad because these are real people just like the Romero family who are suffering behind their doors, four deadbolts and a doorpost, living in fear every day in this apartment complex.”
Aurora City Councilman Daniel Jurinski on Wednesday evicted several residents from an occupied apartment building. (Daniel Jurinski)
“Overall, it's a very positive thing that people are actually seeing what's going on,” Jurinski said. “The video footage is undeniable not just to the governor of Colorado, but others across the country are seeing this with their own eyes.”
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The Aurora Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
