A Texas judge has shut down a hotel in the border city of El Paso after city officials reported criminal activity involving Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang. City officials filed a lawsuit against the hotel's owners after fielding about 700 calls for service at the Gateway Hotel's address.
The El Paso County Prosecutor's Office has filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Gateway Hotel, alleging that the hotel was operated without a valid occupancy certificate for nearly six years. El Paso Times ReportedThe lawsuit seeks to suspend operations of the hotel under the Prevention of Pollution Act after police received 693 calls to the hotel.
“The establishment and rise of the Venezuelan criminal organization 'Tren de Aragua' at the Gateway Hotel is of concern. Several Venezuelans have been found to have Tren de Aragua identifying tattoos.”
According to court documents, El Paso police officials alleged that “the hotel is a hub of suspected gang activity, particularly involving members of the Venezuelan crime organization Tren de Aragua.” Times The article states:
Police allege that the Gateway Hotel's owners have not tried to curb illegal activity and have allowed drug use, gang activity and illegal dumping to occur despite police warnings. Officers have called the hotel a threat to public safety.
The dangerous behavior allegedly taking place inside the hotel included a man brandishing a gun, people brandishing knives and at least one incident of a gun being fired inside the hotel. New York Post ReportedScreenshots of surveillance video released by the county prosecutor's office show scenes of chaos in the facility's hallways.
County Attorney Cristina Sanchez told news media that the video shows “partying people … drinking, smoking and dancing suggestively in the presence of children … at least one gunshot … men with knives and another with an axe attacking people and damaging the hotel in front of security.” post He stated.
Police suspected the Tren de Aragua gang was involved after they found several Venezuelan migrants with gang tattoos, KVIA ABC7 reported. Reported“We are concerned by the establishment and rise of a Venezuelan criminal organization, 'Tren de Aragua', at the Gateway Hotel. We have observed several Venezuelans sporting Tren de Aragua identifying tattoos,” an El Paso police officer wrote in an affidavit for the lawsuit.
Judge Maria Salas Mendoza of the Texas 120th District Court issued a preliminary injunction earlier this week ordering the hotel to close pending a full hearing of the county's lawsuit, which is scheduled for Dec. 9. El Paso Times He stated.
Bob Price Price is deputy editor and senior news contributor for Breitbart Texas Border Team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a reporter for Fox 26 Houston. What is your argument? Sunday Morning He also serves as chairman of the talk show. Blue Wonder Cancer Care Products.
