Police in Aurora, Colorado, and local authorities said in a joint statement Wednesday that they had arrested 10 members of the international gang Tren de Aragua.
Aurora has been in the spotlight recently after surveillance video of an apartment being occupied by armed men went viral online.
The statement was released by Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and City Councilman and Public Safety Chair Daniel Jurinski, with the “full support” of the mayor and Aurora Police Department.
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“Long before concerns about TdA in Colorado garnered national attention, APD was arresting individuals who they suspected but did not necessarily confirm had ties to TdA for a variety of criminal offenses. To date, APD has linked 10 individuals to TdA and has arrested eight of them,” the statement read.
“Two of the eight individuals detained were involved in a shooting that occurred in July at one of the specific facilities in the city that had issues with TdA activity. With these arrests, we also have confirmation that criminal activity, including TdA issues, was having a significant impact on these facilities.”
Ten members of the international crime organization Tren de Aragua were arrested in Aurora, Colorado, on suspicion of “acts of violence against members of the immigrant community.” (Aurora Police Department)
Aurora police said the 10 arrests were in connection to “violent acts against members of the immigrant community.” Tren de Aragua is an international prison gang based in Venezuela, and many of its members in the United States are illegal immigrants.
The charges against the 10 people arrested include child abuse, attempted first-degree murder and illegal use of a firearm. All 10 are listed as “registered members of the TdA.”
One of the arrest warrants dates back to November 2023 in connection with an assault at Whispering Pines Apartments in Aurora.
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The joint statement from Aurora officials also took aim at a number of misleading social media claims circulating at X and certain media organizations.
“Regarding the perception and reality of public safety in Aurora, please understand that the issues experienced at some facilities do not apply to the entire city or even the majority of the city. TdA has not 'taken over' the city. The exaggerated claims fueled by social media and some news outlets are simply not true.”
Following arrests in neighboring Arapahoe County and Denver, a joint task force was formed to specifically address Tren de Aragua gang activity in the area. The task force includes the Aurora Police Department and “other local, state and federal partners.”
“We will continue to honor our identity as Colorado's most diverse city and remain steadfast in our commitment to holding bad actors accountable,” the statement concluded.
One resident said the apartment had been completely taken over by suspected gang members and the locks had been changed. (Councillor Daniel Jurinski)
Gov. Jared Polis signed HB19-1124 in 2019, making Colorado a sanctuary state. A sanctuary state means that Colorado does not enforce immigration laws or cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The governor's office responded to a request for comment from Fox News Digital about the arrests of 10 suspects in the Tren de Aragua operation, after Democratic Gov. Polis came under fire for calling the apartment takeover caught on camera in Aurora a “fantasy.”
“Aurora is a great, vibrant city home to more than 400,000 hardworking Coloradans and a great place to live, work and raise a family. The Governor hopes that the City's reputation has not been tarnished by past cynical comments made by some city officials,” a Polis spokesman said.
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“Colorado is a state with zero tolerance for illegal activity. The Governor and his public safety team have been in close contact with the Mayor and the City of Aurora on this matter for several weeks and are actively participating on the task force.”
